Sousei No Aquarion: The Legend's Beginning
by Zanzibar1
Summary: This is where it all began with the Angel of Destruction Apollonius, the Arch Duke's son Scorpius, and the human with a lost love Celiane...
1. Dawning Light

Sousei no Aquarion: The Beginning Of The Legend

_Author's Note: I only just recently saw the OVA's for this series, so I apologize that many things don't line up with everything that is revealed in them. Please don't critique me on that as I have decided that I will post this anyways seeing as I have almost half the story completed. I am incorporating all that I can from the OVA's that is essential to the legend of Apollonius, Celiane, and Scorpius. _

_Also I have seen several variations on all three characters names, so the spellings above are the ones I will be using for this story. _

_Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form own any rights to Sousei no Aquarion or the characters._

Chapter 1: Remake

Dawning Light

"Regular Talking"_  
__:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

_The night was lit by the torches carried by the people screaming as they ran. The screams filling the air with dread and fear as everyone looked to the sky. Nothing gave them away until they were within the torchlight, but by that point it was too late. Those close enough we're defenseless as they were lured in._

_The alien creatures filled the night sky. Some landing amongst the fleeing crowds crushing houses and people alike._

_This is what greeted everyone in the early hours of morning now a days. No longer was it a peaceful time to slowly wake up before the dawn, but a time of fear._

_The crowds stilled as the presence of the things drew closer to the. A feeling of peace took over. Except one woman. She was helpless to do anything except watch as friends, family, and relatives were stolen away from her._

_A man walked by in front of her breaking her from her stupor._

_"No...No...No! Don't take them from me! David! No, please, no! Don't go! Don't leave me!"_

_Watching him walk in a trance like state to one of the things she couldn't move. Her legs were frozen in place. _

_Filtered light seeped into the dark starlit sky beginning to light up everything. _

_Reaching the thing cords of rope flew out of it wrapping around David. _

_The light broke over the horizon shedding its light onto the remaining creatures._

_She watched in horror as he disappeared within the creature._

_She was alone. Completely alone. _

_ The light fell on her back, but didn't warm her body..._

_It chilled her to the bone as she watched the creatures disappear through celestial light colored holes in the sky._

_She looked around in the growing light._

_A single person remained besides her. His body stature was strong and reeked of authority and arrogance. His hair seemed to be on fire. He glanced around once before leaping skyward. Brilliant white wings that reflected the colors of the sun burst from his back powerfully thrusting downward. He flew into the lightening sky like a vengeful angel with his blood lust satisfied. _

_He disappeared into the rising sun._

_A heart wrenching scream startled any birds still roosting nearby._

* * *

Darkness is surprisingly peaceful when you embrace it.

Nothing to worry you.

Nothing to harm you.

Nothing in general.

In the dawning of light there are far more things to be worried about.

Like watching your family and friends being abducted.

Your best friend...no...Your lover being carried away into an entirely different dimension.

There is nothing in this whole world more painful than the light.

Or, at least, so I thought...

* * *

Eyes blinked open in the bright streams of sunlight through the gap between the window curtains.

Another day had dawned.

Another day of fear.

Another day of misfortune.

Another day to pass by in the hopes that nothing would happen to your loved ones.

Another day to choose to fight or flee.

She pushed the covers back off her naked body and shifted on the bed so that she sat on the edge, her feet touching the stone cold floor.

She stood up and walked to the window paying no mind to the bumps riddling her body in the cool breeze coming through the window and playing with the curtains on the way in.

She drew a curtain aside and looked out at the brightening orange horizon. The rising sun was casting a blood red and orange coloring over everything in its reach.

The normally brilliant blue ocean was a deep crimson red reflecting the sun and sky. The beach sand an even deeper orange than normal. The clouds dark and foreboding, but changing colors as the sun reflected off it.

She drew back from the window and reached for a set of clothes already laid out for her.

She picked up the bandaging and wrapped it around her upper torso binding her breasts closer to her body, then pulled on the lightweight, long sleeve, midriff shirt that hugged her skin tightly leaving nothing of her figure to the imagination.

She pulled skin tight, non-restricting pants on next before donning the combination of leather and metal armor that fit comfortably over her clothes. She pulled her reinforced boots on.

Last of all she brushed her long blonde hair back into a single bunch and tied it up in a high pony tail

Picking up her spear from next to her bed, she left the room prepared to face another day.

A knock on her door alerted her to the presence of another person.

She pulled open the door to see her friend standing there with a smile on his face.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he greeted cheerfully.

"Morning," she greeted in return.

He frowned at the lack of enthusiasm in her voice.

"What's wrong?"

He studied her face with concern. His eyes softened as he came to the realization of what was bothering her.

"You had the nightmare again." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

She nodded solemnly. Scorpius reached out and pulled her into his arms. Careful to keep the spear tip away from his head.

"Celiane, we will find them. I promise."

She shook her head as she felt a tear leak down from her eye and escape down her cheek. He held her tightly against his thick, muscular, and armored chest stroking her hair soothingly.

She relaxed in his embrace pressing her head deeper into his shoulder.

"Thanks Scorpius."

Scorpius pulled away from her staring into her eyes.

"Lighten up, Sunshine. We may not get them today, but we will get back at those monsters for all they have done to you and everyone else," he stated. Celiane nodded again.

"I know," she replied with a slight hint of doubt in her voice that Scorpius didn't appear to notice or didn't let on that he had.

He pulled away with one arm while leaving the other wrapped around her waist. He steered her through the building to the mess hall. Walking into the hall they were confronted with the noise of all the early risers muttering and talking with each other.

"...disappeared..."

"...just this morning..."

"...no one noticed..."

Celiane frowned and pulled from Scorpius' grasp.

"There was another hit," she stated quietly.

Scorpius turned back to face her with a grimace on his face. "Ya."

"How many?"

"At least a hundred."

She sat down onto a vacant seat behind her.

Scorpius sighed and scratched the back of his head trying to figure out how to console her.

Celiane stared down at her hands that were resting in her lap. They were clenching and unclenching attempting to find a release for the inner turmoil of emotions.

Scorpius watched her fists as well and shook his head.

"Come on." He placed his hand on her shoulder, "You need to do something. I can tell."

He took her hand and pulled her up. He took the spear from the opposite hand leading her out of the mess hall and grabbing a practice sword on the way out.

Celiane quietly followed as he led her out the door and towards the beach. He stabbed the spear into the sand making it stay upright where everyone could see and avoid the blade. He unsheathed his sword and stabbed it into the sand next to the spear.

He pulled her farther down the beach.

"Here is what we are going to do. You and I are gong to train like we have never before until we drop from exhaustion. Let the others deal with guard duty for today."

He took off running down the beach and she followed. The cool morning breeze swept by them with the salty fish scent of the ocean. She pushed herself to run a little faster digging her feet into the sand to gain more momentum.

Scorpius glanced back with a smirk. He brought his hand to his mouth and loudly cat called taunting her to speed up. Celiane forgot her worries instantly as his cat call struck a nerve. She pushed herself faster, sprinting towards him.

His face lit up in surprise as he noticed her closing the distance that had grown between them.

He pushed himself faster and faster. She took a flying leap. Tackled his legs, locking her arms around his knees.

Scorpius quickly flipped over in her arms and kicked away.

Scrambling to their feet each took defensive stances.

Celiane feinted a hit to his left side. She whirled to the right at the last instant landing a solid punch in the right side of his abdomen.

He doubled over with a colorful curse in shock and pain.

She smirked at his helplessness. He jumped at her driving his shoulder into her abdomen clasping his arms around her legs. He stood up straight holding her figure over his shoulder.

Laughter escaped from her as she braced her arms against his back to avoid the blood rushing to her head.

Scorpius' laughter joined in. He gently set her down on her feet.

"Good," he said smiling, "you're laughing."

She blushed as she realized what his true goal had been all along.

He draped an arm over her shoulders pulling her close to him. She wrapped her arm around his waist. They turned simultaneously walking back up the beach to where the weapons were stuck in the sand.

* * *

The day was relatively peaceful with all the occupants of the base enjoying the peace and quiet. Many adults were chatting while watching the children running around laughing and shrieking their enjoyment to the world.

Every so often one of the kids would fall and have to be bandaged up a little or given a kiss on the injury before being sent back to playing.

Scorpius sat on a wooden crate full of food ignoring the sounds around him. He had a journal sitting on his lap that he was currently writing in. Every so often he would stop and sketch something next to what he had written.

Scorpius had made it his job in the base to record everything they currently knew and what anyone found out in the future about the strange creatures hunting the people. Everyone had the hope that if we weren't able to defend ourselves now, then future generations would have a better chance with the information to finish the job or to add to the journal for the generations after them.

The belief, among many, was that in doing this, one day a pattern or connection would be made that would determine what the creatures are and what purpose they hoped to achieve.

Celiane was sitting next to a pile of torn up armor and clothes with several other men and women. Each of them was helping to fix armor pieces and clothing depending on what they knew how to do.

Celiane looked up from the pile, after placing another piece of armor in the mended pile, to watch Scorpius for a moment curious as to what he was putting the journal.

"Celiane dear," one of the older women grabbed her attention. "Why don't you take a break. You've been working longer than the rest of us today. Take a break and get yourself some food," she said kindly.

Celiane gave the kind old woman a smile thankfully patting her on the shoulder. She stood and left for the kitchen. She grabbed two bowls filling them up with the stew that was being kept hot over the low crackling fire. She also pulled another log from the pile next to the fireplace and placed it upon the low flame. Everyone contributed to keeping the food warm because if you didn't, then people would be unhappy with cold food and no one would enjoy their company.

She picked up the bowls walking back outside to the courtyard. She scanned the area looking for the playing children so she wouldn't accidentally spill any hot food when one came barreling out of nowhere. They were playing with an old goat that seemed to tolerate being tugged by tail, horns, and fur on the other side of the courtyard. Nowhere were they could get into trouble by spilling the food in her hands.

She made her way around various groups of people and the projects they were working on. She sat down next to Scorpius. She set down her bowl of stew and offered the other one to him when she saw him stop writing.

"How's the recording going?" she asked curiously.

Scorpius handed her the journal and took the stew eagerly.

"There are still no patterns or connections between anything as of yet," he grumbled through a mouthful.

She flicked him in the head. "Don't talk with your mouthful," she scolded.

He shrugged reaching over he flipped the pages of the journal to the pages he reserved for rumors that hadn't been confirmed.

"There are rumors going around that some of the creatures have been seen with a humanoid appearance. Some are even describing the creatures as Angels. No one has been able to confirm if this is true or just an exaggeration of what someone saw when those creatures appeared."

Celiane shook her head in disbelief. "Why would an Angel want to take us away? I thought Angels were supposed to be harbingers of good fortune and truth."

Scorpius shrugged taking another bite of his food.

Finishing the mouthful he added, "From what I know of the old religions. Angels were revered as immortal winged beings who worked under God's power to care for humans."

Flipping through the pages she eyed the detailed sketches throughout. One she was very familiar with was the creature that collected the humans. Everyone referred to them as Harvesters because they acted like a farmer harvesting his crops.

She flipped back to the page with the angel rumor, then continued to the next page where he noted his research of angels in the old religion. In the middle of the page was a beautifully done sketch of a very muscular and handsome man wrapped in a cloth with brilliant white wings spreading from his back and flaring out to either side. He held his arms out on either side as though he was embracing the sky.

"Is this an angel?" she asked pointing to the sketch.

Scorpius looked to the picture she was pointing too and nodded.

"Your sketches are beautiful, as always."

"Thanks, Sunshine." He handed the bowl back to her and she returned the journal. "Now let's hope we can come across some useful information to help us get through this." Celiane's stomach rumbled. He chuckled, "You should eat your stew."

She glanced down at her forgotten stew. Picking it up she settled herself against him to watch while he continued writing down the speculations and information he had come up with today.

She took a bite of the stew. Something felt like it was crawling up her arm. She brushed whatever it was away from her. The feeling persisted having not been brushed away from her.

She looked to her arm instantly confused when she saw nothing there.

"Celiane?"

Looking up at him she noticed his surprised look. She followed his gaze to take in the courtyard. Everyone had frozen in what they were doing. The children had halted in mid step. The adults drinking had liquid dripping down their face. Adults with food were either in the process of swallowing or bringing food to their mouths. Animals were still moving around just as the two of them were.

As one everyone turned to face the door leading outside the courtyard.

"Scorpius, what's going... No. It can't be!"

"It is," Scorpius confirmed, "Celiane, we must get out of here. Everyone is in a trance except for us. We need to get out of here while we can."

He turned to look at Celiane only to find her face glazing over with fear.

"It's them...No, David. David! They have David!"

Her body trembled as she was racked with the fear from the past.

_A man walked by in front of her breaking her from her stupor._

_"No...No...No! Don't take them from me! David! No, please, no! Don't go! Don't leave me!"_

_Watching him walk in a trance like state to one of the things she couldn't move. Her legs were frozen in place. _

_Filtered light seeped into the dark starlit sky beginning to light up everything. _

_Reaching the thing cords of rope flew out of it wrapping around David. _

_The light broke over the horizon shedding its light onto the remaining creatures._

_She watched in horror as he disappeared within the creature._

_She was alone. Completely alone. _

"Celiane! Snap out of it!"

Shaken awake she clung to Scorpius.

"Scorpius, don't leave me. Please, don't leave me," she begged, her entire body trembling in fear. Her voice cracking under the strain.

Patting and rubbing her back consolingly, Scorpius kept an eye on their surroundings.

"It's alright, Celiane. I'm here. We will get him back. We will get them all back."

Looking down Celiane in his arms he sighed. "This is not going to be fun, but we really need to get out of here. There's nothing we can do with them all in a trance."

He tucked the journal and pen into his breast pocket, sheathed his sword into his belt and attached her spear to the back of his armor. He slid his arm under knees to pick her up while she insisted on clutching his shirt still in hysterics.

He carefully walked across the courtyard to the opposite gate from the direction that everyone else was walking in. Slipping through the door he raced away from the base watching the sky for any of the creatures that may have spotted them escaping.

* * *

_:Two wingless ones are not caught by the hypnotic spell: _a man with red hair that appeared to be in flames, observed.

A man with flowing white feathery hair glided over to join him in front of the viewing spell. He watched a wingless one carry another wingless one away in their arms_ :Let them be. They can't do anything even if they can resist the spell:_

_:Whatever. Let me know if there is any fun to be had:_ The red haired man glided away bored.

* * *

_Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you thought especially since this is the first time I've updated my story after getting rid of my writer's block. _

_As a second note, I have a poll up on my profile. Please vote for your two favorite stories of mine that I have written. Thanks everyone!  
_


	2. Amber Sun

Chapter 2:

"Regular Talking"_  
:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

_Author's Note: Please review at the end and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! _

_Labamba – yes I continue to write this out all the way. I am just in the middle of finishing up school and going on vacation next week. But here's the next chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the review!_

* * *

_"It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations."  
_

_-Kahlil Gibran_

* * *

Scorpius slid down a tree trunk gasping slightly for breath in his exhaustion from carrying Celiane for a long period of time.

He looked down suddenly as she squirmed out of his arms.

"Scorpius?" She looked around at their surroundings, "Where are we?"

Scorpius held up a hand while he recovered his normal breathing and heart rates.

"Deep in the forest as far away from the base as I could get us," he explained.

Celiane looked at him in confusion. "Away from the base? But..." she remembered what had happened. "Right...Never mind."

She looked at her friend and took in his appearance while he sat in thought in front of her.

His short black hair was messed up giving him a scruffy appearance. His body was extremely toned and despite the battles he has been in, there wasn't a scratch to be found on his lightly tanned skin. His eyes were a glistening green that appeared to go deeper than the surface with knowledge and wisdom.

"We need some kind of shelter for the night while we wait the attack out."

Celiane nodded in agreement.

"Scorpius, why do you think we weren't affected?"

Scorpius shook his head pulling the spear off his back. "I don't know, Celiane. I honestly don't know, but I want to find out.

"Well, I will go get some firewood if you take care of the shelter," she suggested.

He nodded in agreement. She picked herself up off the ground and began to explore the area they were in.

The forest had been explored, but she had always preferred to stay out on the beach where she could see for miles off the coastline.

Others had disagreed with her liking for the beach as they felt it gave them no cover. Cover was all and good when you could think properly, but as the creatures had demonstrated, they had some kind of hypnosis they used, but exactly where the hypnosis originated from was a complete mystery. Not to mention why it didn't affect the two of them.

She gathered an armful of branches ranging in size and weight and dumped it all down next to the shelter that Scorpius had erected while she had been gathering.

Scorpius was writing in the journal adding the new information and speculations that had arisen from their recent encounter with the creatures.

While he was writing, she was kneeling next to the pile of wooding sorting it into different piles and started to place the wood together in such a way that it could kindle a flame.

A strangled shout startled her and she nearly lost her balance catching the wood pile in front of her.

When there were no obvious threats near them she looked over to Scorpius in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Scorpius glared at the journal in his hand. "It's all contradictory! There's got to be something in all this! Something we can use! Something that makes sense! Something that doesn't defy all of the laws of reality!"

"Getting mad about it isn't going to help us any, Scorpius. It will just make it harder to find a reasonable solution."

Scorpius sighed and nodded, "I know, but it's just frustrating when I'm writing it all down. Nothing really connects. It's like I'm working on a jigsaw puzzle, but I'm missing pieces."

"Well, we will just have to find those pieces." Celiane smiled cheerfully. "Now won't we?"

Scorpius smiled in return. He set the journal to the side and brought his hands up to cover his face with a groan.

Celiane set down the wood in her hand. She went to Scorpius and sank down next to him. Wrapping her arms around him she placed her head on his shoulder hoping to comfort him.

* * *

A floating circular image showed two wingless ones within the forest. One had their arms around the other and it appeared that the two were resting against each other.

The flaming red haired man appeared next to the feathery white haired man with a white winged dog angel nestled in his arms. _:Why are you watching those two wingless ones, Toma?:_

_:I'm curious as to why these two were unaffected by the song of hypnosis:_

Apollonius looked back to the image an idea blossoming in his mind. _:Shall we have a little fun?:_

* * *

The sun was high above in the middle of the sky shining through the canopy of the trees.

Celiane still rested alongside Scorpius enjoying his warm presence.

Scorpius looked up at the angle of the sun.

"Hey, Celiane." He gently readjusted her on his shoulder, so that he could look at her face. "We should find some food before it gets too late or we will go hungry for tonight."

Celiane nodded and stood up using a hand on his shoulder as leverage. She offered her hand to Scorpius. He took it and she pulled him up onto his feet.

"You forage and I'll hunt?" Celiane suggested.

"Sure."

Celiane grabbed her spear pulling it from where Scorpius had shoved it into the ground earlier. She flipped it in her hand to turn the spear head to pointing in front of her.

Leaving the sheltered area she quietly walked into the forest with no sound from her feet or breathing as she stalked away looking for signs of prey. Gazing around she finally noticed some deer pellets and tracks leading away from where she stood.

About fifteen minutes walk from their campsite she spotted the young buck feeding on a berry bush with its back facing her.

Carefully she pulled herself up onto a branch of a nearby tree watching the buck's ears flap around listening for hostile sounds. Climbing quickly and carefully to a better vantage point, she positioned the spear into an adequate throwing position just over her right shoulder in her right hand.

She took a moment to sight her target, then drew back and threw the spear forward towards the unsuspecting buck.

The spear flew through the air with a whistle of air and hit with a thunk in the flesh of the buck in a killing blow with a crunch of leaves and sticks underneath the fallen buck.

She jumped down from branch to branch landing on the ground crouched to absorb the shock through her legs rather than just her feet. Rising she walked over to her kill.

She kneeled next to the buck clasping her hands together she closed her eyes in a silent prayer over it, then reached over and grasped the spear as far down the shaft as she could. She placed her other hand on one side of the buck's body next to the spear head. She pulled the spear from the body.

She pulled a cloth from a pocket and wiped the blood from the spear head. She stood and looked around searching for a stream. Listening carefully she heard gurgling coming a little further in the forest.

She grabbed the bucks hind legs. Turning around she hauled it up onto her back to make the body easier to carry.

She trudged through the forest following the sounds of gurgling water, searching with her eyes for the best path to reach it.

Celiane passed between trees and brush shoving her way through and catching stray branches until she broke through into a clearing.

She lowered the buck down to the ground a few feet away from the water and sat on a rock next to the water washing her hands in the stream.

The flapping of wings from farther ahead into the forest drew her attention to a flock of birds taking flight from the trees signaling an intruder coming among them besides her. She rose from her seat holding the spear steadily in hand and looked around suddenly wary of her surroundings.

The slightest sound from behind alerted her. She instantly whirled on the balls of her feet to block a blade on the metal shaft of her spear. Her brown eyes widened in surprise when they met crimson red eyes.

The flaming red hair swirled around her attackers face like a wild fire. A gust of wind blew across the two of them. The fiery hair blew from his face uncovering his maniacal smile and hard crazed eyes.

"Who are you?" Celiane asked astonished by the stranger's expression.

He was about a foot taller than her and his body was magnificently toned with a tanned hue to it. He wore what looked like a purple and green faded sheet wrapped around his waist with a strange leather belt that wrapped around his waist and traveled over his shoulder and disappearing down his back. The lower portion of the outfit flapped around his legs rustling in the wind, but she could clearly see the swirl like pattern on the fabric.

Celiane stared at him in surprise. Something seemed familiar about him and yet she felt that she had never before met this strange man. A memory flashed before her eyes reminding her of why he was so familiar.

_The sky was brightening with the rising sun. Everyone had disappeared except...there was still another person. A person with flaming red hair and brilliant white wings reflecting the crimson reds and oranges coming from the rising sunlight. _

"It's you!" Celiane exclaimed. "No, it can't be...You don't...You don't have wings."

The man smirked and leaped upwards pushing her back with a thrust of his sword. Celiane's eyes followed him. She couldn't break them away, almost as if she were hypnotized. Wings unfurled from his back flashing out to either side catching the wind and ruffling the feathers.

"What...What are you?" she asked.

_:I am a Shadow Angel and your end:_

"Shadow Angel?"

He struck at her with his blade, but hesitated at the pain that flashed across her features when the blade bit into her side. He pulled back confused by his moment of hesitation.

"W..Why?" she gasped, awakening him from his confusion as to why he had originally come to the surface of the Earth. "Why are you attacking me? Why are you attacking all of us?"

His grin twisted into an even more maniacal grin than before if that was at all possible.

_He answered her :Because...It's fun: _


	3. Bloody Sunlight

**Chapter 3**

**Bloody Sunlight**

"Regular Talking"  
:Telepathic:  
Flashback

_Author's Note: So since I won't be available this weekend to post this. I'm posting this a little ahead of schedule. Also in case I forgot to mention, which I believe I did, I have written ahead and am currently going back and editing the chapters that I have written. I will of course eventually get to where I have not written the story yet and will slow down in posts. I hope this will not happen and that I will continue to stay ahead in the story. However if it should, please do not panic. I plan to finish this story first before moving onto the next story to finish. Thank you for being so patient with me everyone!  
_

_Please review at the end and let me know what you think about the story or my writing style! Thanks for reading!  
_

* * *

_"Love without any reason lasts the longest"_

_-Anonymous_

* * *

Toma slid into the branches of a tree above the wingless one searching the ground for nuts and roots. The wingless one hadn't noticed the rustle of the leaves as he had passed through them. His smile widened with amusement.

_:This is too easy:_

He unfurled his wings, leaping off the tree branch and lashed out with his sword at the wingless one below.

The wingless one whirled on his feet dodging the blade by a mere second.

"Who are you?" he noticed Toma's wings that were unfurled from either side of his head, "W…What are you?"

_:That's something you won't need to know:_

The wingless one looked him up and down sizing him up. Although it was hard to tell exactly what his strength might be as he was covered with a robe like outfit.

"Oh yeah? And why is that?"

_:You won't be around long enough to care:_

The wingless one growled at him in anger. "Bastard. You won't take me down that easily."

Toma smirked. _:Then show me Wingless One. Show me what you can do to stop me:_

* * *

"No," Celiane denied, "I'm not going to die by your hand, you sick bastard. Not like this."

_:Oh? Well, then show me your spirit wingless one and I shall show you mine:_

"Fine then! I will!" She launched herself at him. He countered by brushing aside the blow with his blade toying with her by not striking back. The wingless one backed off into an offensive stance ready to attack the Shadow Angel yet again.

_:Well?: __He shouted attempting to provoke her :What are you waiting for, Wingless One?:_

"I have a name, Bastard!" she shouted in anger. He trembled in anticipation of her next attack. "My name is Celiane!"

_:It does not matter. You are a Wingless One. You can do no harm to me as you are merely a life source and occasionally a source of amusement:_

She bristled with anger at his words, "Physically I may not have wings, but mentally I can soar to any height! And you can't change that!"

The Shadow Angel tensed in surprise. He could see her prauna soaring from her physical body just as an Angel could and doing exactly as she said it could even if she didn't know it.

_:How is this possible? How are you doing this?...:_

The Shadow Angel blocked her next attack. He pushed her back leaping into the air once more and retreating from her figure to gain time to contemplate what he had just seen.

* * *

Toma chuckled at the attacks the wingless one was throwing at him with his close combat with his body as the weapon.

_:Come at me then. Make this interesting. I'm sure Apollonius is having fun playing with the other wingless one:_

The wingless one in front of him froze. "What do you mean? Are you saying that there is another like you here as well?"

_Toma shrugged with a smirk :Isn't that what I just said?:_

"Damn you! You bastard!"

The wingless one sprinted away through the trees calling out a name, Celiane.

Toma scowled. _:You dare turn your back on me?:_

He thrust his wings down pushing himself into the air. Flying above the tree canopies following the wingless one. He could easily hear the clash of weapons in the distance from above. He dove through the next opening in the tree canopy with his blade pointed out straight in front of him.

The wingless one hesitated midstep.

The blade sliced down into skin from above.

* * *

Apollonius froze when he heard a scream not too far away, but continued fighting as he knew it wasn't his beloved Toma.

The wingless one in front of him on the other hand appeared to recognize the voice. She broke off from their battle to race away through the trees.

Apollonius' blood raged through his veins at the insult she presented him with.

_:Wench! Don't you dare turn your back in a fight against me!:_

His mind raged and blood boiled, but he noticed something strange. His blood was boiling, yes, but not in the rage he first thought it was.

It was...something else…

* * *

Celiane raced through the trees searching for Scorpius hoping that things hadn't gone for the worst with him. She spotted movement as another Shadow Angel alighted on the forest floor with a blade in hand. A blade dripping with fresh blood.

"Scorpius! No! Get away from him you creep!" Celiane screamed.

She ran sideways adjusting her spear so it was in a position to be thrown at the shadow angels back. She released it. The weapon arcing just before the shadow angel glanced back at her with a calm gaze. Her spear was deflected in the air by an invisible force.

Celiane faltered a step coming to a stop to balance herself astonished to see the spear lazily twisting away in the air.

"How?"

Flapping wings behind her warned her to the presence of the second shadow angel. Spinning around she came face to face with Apollonius once again.

Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees in front of the angel. It was over. There was nothing more she could do.

Scorpius lay on the ground at the other angels feet. She was weaponless in front of a warrior angel who seemed to be out for her blood.

Apollonius regarded her for a moment, then sheathed his sword. He looked away from her and towards his fellow angel.

_:I'm bored already, Toma. Let's go back to Atlandia:_

Toma nodded in agreement. He flicked his sword to the side, the drops of blood flying off leaving the blade spotlessly clean, and sheathed the sword.

Together the two angels unfurled their wings and took off into the light of the afternoon.

Celiane watched as their figures flew away. Some kind of portal of darkness and starlight opened in front of them and they disappeared into it finally leaving them in peace.

She crawled the rest of the way towards Scorpius, shocked that she was still alive and the worrying thought that he might be dead.

When she reached him she had to stifle a cry of shock while tears ran freely down her face. Scorpius was alive, but he hadn't made it out of the battle without a battle wound on his right shoulder.

She watched his chest rise and fall slowly. Out of relief she smiled, despite the scar he would have when he was finished healing he would at the very least be alive.

* * *

Scorpius awoke next to a crackling fire. When he opened his eyes his vision was blurred before clearing up. Above he could see the stars peaking through the leaves and branches of the trees above. He rolled his head to the side flinching from the pain he could feel in his right shoulder. He could see next to the fire lying on a bed of leaves was Celiane. She appeared to be reading his journal and puzzled by the information.

His vision blurred again and he rolled his head back to where it was to wait for it to clear once again. The angel he had been fighting against had ambushed him from the sky and cut into him.

He mused over how he had lost consciousness. Did he hit his head on a rock? Did he pass out from loss of blood?

"Celiane, what happened," he asked looking back in her direction.

Celiane looked up with a cheerful smile. "Glad to see you awake sleeping beauty."

"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously though, what happened?"

Celiane grimaced, "I'm not entirely certain myself, although I did learn a few new things that might interest you."

Scorpio carefully pushed himself up, using his left arm, into a comfortable sitting position.

"Well, let me hear them."

Celiane pushed herself up and joined him on his own mat of leaves.

"Well, the angel I was fighting let on that they are called Shadow Angels. He kept calling me a wingless one, so I'm guessing that is their name for humans. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by this, but he said we were a life source. Did you hear anything from the one you were fighting?"

Scorpius shook his head with a frown.

Celiane continued with a frown herself, "He also let on about a place called Atlandia. I'm guessing this is what they call their home because I think that is where they went back to when they decided to leave us be."

Scorpius took the journal from her. "Could you get my pencil for me," he requested flipping through the pages of the book.

Celiane went back over to where she had been sitting and retrieved the pencil. She handed it back to him and moved to his side to look over his shoulder at what he was going to write down.

Scorpius began to jot down the new information slowly and carefully so as to not reopen his shoulder wound, then he flipped to the next blank page and began to sketch a drawing of the one he had been fighting including the wings attached to his head. When he went to write a description of him he paused in thought.

"I think his name was Toma," Celiane supplied, "That's what the other angel called him."

Scorpius nodded writing the name just below the sketch.

"Describe the angel that you fought and I'll make a sketch of him as well," Scorpius requested.

She described fiery angel she had fought. His clothing, features, wing position, everything she could think of and watched him carefully sketch out the angel. Slowly the sketch was completed until finally it was done and it looked exactly like the angel she had been fighting.

"That's him," she said, "Though I never caught a name for him."

Scorpius nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"He's the one from your nightmares isn't he?" Scorpius asked.

Celiane nodded, pain flickering across her features. "You recognized the description I take it?"

Scorpius turned his head so he could see her with. He reached out with his left hand and brushed his thumb across her cheek gently wiping away the tear that had escaped its prison.

"I was so close to him. I didn't even think to ask about David. I couldn't even picture his face in my mind..." Celiane broke down sobbing onto his shoulder while Scorpio embraced her against him consolingly.

"We will get him back, Celiane," he watched the fire crackling in the darkness sending sparks towards the dark sky, "We are a few steps closer to him than we were before."


	4. Silver Light and Starry Waters

**Chapter 4**

**Silver Light and Starry Waters**

_Author's Note: In honor of the Fourth of July tomorrow, I am posting this chapter. Happy Independence Day!**  
**_

_Please remember to review at the end to let me know how I am doing. More reviews means faster updates. ;)_

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

* * *

_"I met an angel, the day I met her._

_Her beauty so enchanting, refined, eloquent, and divine._

_Her face so sweet._

_Her eyes so hypnotizing._

_The sweet smell of her perfume,_

_Still lingers in my mind."_

**"Lost Love" by Armand Dunk**

* * *

_:What have you two been up to?: _Moroha asked as Toma and Appollonius returned.

_:We were enjoying each others company: _Toma replied to purple insect like Shadow Angel.

Moroha folded his arms in front of his chest watching the two Shadow Angels glide away.

Appollonius and Toma made their way to a large cavern like room with a large flowering plant centered in the middle. The two angels gazed lovingly up at the tree of life marveling under its warmth and beauty.

_:The Tree is beautiful: _Appollonius commented

Toma silently agreed. He leaned his body into Apollonius' with his back pressed to the other Shadow Angel's chest.

Appollonius wrapped his arms around Toma's body embracing him with one arm. His other hand reached up and stroked Toma's wings caressing each individual feather. Toma smiled.

_:Are you content from our adventure?: _Toma asked.

His hand traveled up to Apollonius' on his wings.

_:Yes:_

In truth, Appollonius was still confused to his reaction towards the wingless one he had been fighting. It hadn't made sense. His love was for Toma and yet that wingless one had sparked a reaction within him. A reaction he had never felt before. None of it made sense, but until he knew what was happening he wouldn't say anything. Toma didn't need to stress over something that may have just been a fluke. He would investigate his personal feelings later when he was on his own.

For now he would enjoy his time with Toma at the present.

* * *

Scorpius had fallen asleep a little after Celiane had recovered enough to remember that he was wounded. She replaced the bandage on his shoulder with a clean one before carefully making him lie back down to rest.

He had obliged to her wishes grudgingly when she threatened to take away the journal and hide it so he wouldn't be able to find it.

The crescent moon had risen and was now hanging solemnly above their heads in the sky. Gazing at the stars she thought about the days events.

The realization that she had been fighting with the one who took her friends and family away from her still bothered her. He was the culprit, but was he the only one? Now there was a second angel and who knew how many more came from where they did.

"Atlandia...You're the key to finding them. But where is Atlandia? How can we get there?"

* * *

The moonlight covered everything making a silvery sheen shine over the world. Apollonius drifted on the air blowing calmly in the atmosphere above the clouds. The cool night breeze cooled his body while it worked to keep him aloft and drifting on the winds.

_:What is it I felt for the wingless one? Something isn't adding up. Why should I an Angel have a strong feeling for a Wingless One?:_

He gazed down at the rolling waves of water below him sparkling like the stars above.

He flew towards the beach off in the distance, watching the water lap up onto the sand dragging sand, kelp, and fish away from shore.

He alighted onto the beach and gazed out into the horizon pulling his wings back in close to his body. He sat floating just above the sand enjoying the feel of the warmth radiating up underneath him with the cool ocean breeze sweeping by.

An image of the wingless one appeared in his visions sight.

_:Her face keeps showing up in my mind...What is it about her that is drawing me to her?:_

The fiery Angel relaxed above the sand under the moonlight. The beach was deserted and he hadn't seen a single wingless one nearby. The animals would leave him alone because they would sense he was a shadow angel. They might come and rest nearby, but they wouldn't do anything to harm him.

* * *

Celiane stood up with her spear in hand. She left a note written in the dirt next to Scorpius, so that if he woke up while she was gone, then he wouldn't freak out trying to find her.

She wandered through the trees not looking for anything in particular until she stumbled out of the tree line onto the beach.

"I wasn't sure how far Scorpius had carried me in when we escaped from the Shadow Angel's creatures," she muttered.

She wandered out onto the sand. She sat down away from the tidal line of the water and pulled off her shoes and rolled her pants up to her knees. She walked down towards the water shuddering from the cool breezes passing her by.

A wave rushed towards shore lapping up onto the sand and flowing around her feet. She shivered at its cool touch, but continued forward until she stood almost knee deep in the water.

The waves pushing and pulling at her legs.

The wind whipping through her hair and playing with the individual strands.

Her mouth widening into a smile as she closed her eyes and spread her arms in the salty breeze as though she could take flight from where she stood. She opened her eyes to gaze into the moons shining silver light to see the Angel who looked to be on fire gazing back at her.

She lowered her arms as the breeze died away, a serious look replacing the one of contentedness.

"Why is it that every time your face appears in my mind I am filled not with a sense of loathing, but passion?" Celiane questioned the night sky. She turned her gaze down to the water lapping around her legs. "What is wrong with me? I finally find the one responsible for everything and I am hopelessly outmatched. Hopelessly... in love…"

She scrunched her hands into fists, her legs buckling beneath her and dropped to her knees in the water with a splash. The water splashing and swirling around her body ignoring her intruding presence.

* * *

Apollonius gazed up at the moon completely content with resting on the beach. The breeze shifted around him and blew the opposite direction.

A sweet smell reached his nostrils and stirred him to alertness.

_:What is that?: _He sat up searching for the source.

He stood and turned until he noticed that not too far away a female figure wass sitting in the water with their head down.

Staring closer the female's figure became more prominent in the moonlight. Apollonius' face lit up startled that he hadn't noticed the female figure's presence.

_:It's a wingless one:_

He gazed at the figure curious as to who she was and why she was there.

_:She can't be a wingless one...She's beautiful...:_

He sat there admiring her physique while she didn't notice him.

The wingless one turned her gaze from the dark water towards him startled out of her thoughts.


	5. Murky Waters

**Chapter 5**

**Murky Waters**

* * *

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:_  
_ Flashback_

_Author's Note: Hey everyone...I would really really appreciate it if you guys would review. I don't know how well my writing is going or how well I am doing because no one is reviewing. So I please ask that you take the time to review. Thanks!  
_

* * *

_"Love that we cannot have is the one that _

_lasts the longest, hurts the deepest, and feels the strongest."_

_-Anonymous_

* * *

Celiane pulled her gaze from the starry water with a start. The hair on the back of her neck was standing on end and she didn't like the feeling.

Her gaze fell onto a man standing on the sandy beach watching her.

She glowered in suspicion. "Who are you?"

Celiane rose from the water and stepped forward confidently.

The man didn't move calmly staring back.

Celiane frowned in annoyance that this man was standing there so calmly.

"Hey!" she snapped, "I asked you a question!"

The man moved forward, but his legs didn't move causing her to hesitate. Her left foot shifted back in the sand. Raising the spear to be level with the man's chest she glared at him.

The man continued forward and Celiane stared at him suspiciously unsure of what was going on.

"What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

He continued forward in silence.

He was now in arms reach of her spear and she finally recognized the outline of his body and she could see the faintest trace of his wings hugging his back.

"It's you," she said in a startled voice.

_:What is it about you, wingless one, that attracts me so? My mind tells me to strike you down where you stand and yet I can't:_

Celiane stepped back surprised at the question and the spear dropping to the ground between them.

"What do you...What are you babbling about?"

The Shadow Angel didn't answer her. He silently gazed into her eyes assessing something within her. Celiane shifted under his gaze unsure of how to respond to this Angel that was doing who knew what.

_:What is it about you? I have regarded you wingless ones as nothing before this time, so why now? Why do I feel this change about me?:_

The moonlight that hadn't been illuminating the shadow angel and Celiane suddenly tore away at the shadows giving the two of them a clear look at one another. Celiane tensed ready for an attack that never came. The Shadow Angel in front of her was none other than the one who attacked her earlier that day with the white feathered one.

The Shadow Angel's stance did not shift despite the unease in the air.

"Why aren't you attacking me?" she asked suspiciously. She couldn't make sense of the situation. Part of her told her to attack and the other told her to just stand there and trust him.

The shadow angel shook his head. _:I cant:_

Celianes eyes met the Shadow Angel's gaze and froze. She could not will her body to move. She was stuck, trapped within his gaze unable to escape.

_:What is it about you that makes me feel this way when I am around you? What is it that is different?:_

Celiane opened her mouth to respond. No sound issued forth and she was left gaping like a fish out of water.

Suddenly the Shadow Angel's face contorted in mass confusion, then loathing hate, anger, and frustration, and then suddenly all back to confusion.

With no warning he whipped out a sword from nowhere in a sudden fit of fury. His face twisted with rage as he slashed downwards at Celiane in an overhand strike.

Celiane was frozen in shock as the sword flashed in the moonlight down towards her.

Something large and heavy collided into her side sweeping her off her feet.

She heard steel clash on steel and turned to see sparks flying in all directions.

Celiane broke from her paralysis as she registered what had happened.

Scorpius was at the Shadow Angel's feet, sword in his left hand, blocking the blade baring down on him from above while the Shadow Angel glared at him.

"Scorpius!" she shouted in alarm.

She stood to charge, but had no weapon in hand.

She had dropped the spear.

She looked around and found it. The spear was stuck in the sand just past the combatants.

Celiane rushed towards the spear swiping it up from the ground, flicking it into the air to change her hand positions.

She planted her feet and launched the spear at the Shadow Angel.

The Shadow Angel's wings snapped out, back flapping away from Scorpius to avoid the projectile.

Scorpius dropped his blade and reached out grabbing the spear out of the air.

He tossed it back to her as she ran across the sand towards him.

Snatching it out of the air she planted her foot, digging it into the sand and pushing off in the direction that the Shadow Angel had retreated.

_:You truly believe that two wingless ones would fare better against me, than a single wingless one?:_

Celiane didn't answer as she thrust the spear point at him.

Effortlessly he caught the spear shaft behind the head.

He pulled her towards him knocking her off balance. She stumbled forwards into his body.

He grabbed her arm twisting it around behind her torso painfully.

With a gasp of pain she released the spear and he pulled her back against his chest. He placed the blade of his sword across her chest and neck not pressing the cold steel into her, but certainly making its presence known.

Celiane froze at the cold touch.

Scorpius who had been following right behind Celiane skidded to a halt. He glared at the Shadow Angel.

"You Monster!" Scorpius shouted in frustration, "Your kind attacks our world without provocation and now you decide to play with us for your entertainment!"

The Shadow Angel watched him curiously. _:We have been here much longer than you Wingless Ones and we have our responsibilities just as you have yours:_

"And what might those responsibilities you speak of be?" he asked angrily.

_:That is none of your concern, Wingless One:_

"Like hell it isn't!" he spat back, "You speak of our responsibility. What do you say is our responsibility?"

The Shadow Angel studied him curiously while still retaining his grip on Celiane.

_:Why do you fight me?:_ The Shadow Angel continued to calmly observe Scorpio's movements. _:Why don't you leave her behind like most of your species would?:_

Scorpius continued glaring at the Shadow Angel. "I am not a monster like you. I do not leave my friends behind to die. That is not what I do."

_:And yet you both left those you had fought alongside when they were caught in the hypnosis spell: _Apollonius countered.

"We were the only two unaffected. There was no way we could stop over a hundred people from leaving and make it out alive ourselves."

_:Interesting:_

Scorpius blanched in shock and disgust, "That's all that you can say about all this? Despite the fact that you were the cause for those hundred people disappearing to who knows where?"

_:Very well, I shall show this one: _He glanced down at Celiane_. :where those Wingless Ones go. I shall show you that they are in peace and where they are is good:_

Scorpius growled in the back of his throat in annoyance. "What do you mean you shall take her there? Where is there exactly?"

_:Atlandia. A place where my people live and thrive:_

Celiane turned her head to look back at her captor. "Why would you take me there now? What will you do to me once we arrive there?"

The Shadow Angel returned her gaze, but didn't answer.

"Why are you taking her there now and what will you do to her when you get there?" Scorpius repeated her questions.

The Shadow Angel spread his wings. His sword disappeared and he caught Celiane's waist in his arm lifting her up with him. She did the only thing she could do and that was to cling to him in the hopes that he wouldn't carry her high into the sky and decide she wasn't worth the effort and drop her back down to the earth.

Scorpius rushed forward to where they had stood, but the Shadow Angel was flying upward through the mysterious portal.

"CELIANE!" Scorpius shouted. He was reaching a hand up towards the sky where she disappeared along with the angel.


	6. Atlandia

**Chapter 6**

**Atlandia**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

_Author's Note: So this will be the only chapter for the next two weeks as I will be gone. Please review and let me know what you think. _

* * *

"_Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a teardrop."_

_-Anonymous_

* * *

Celiane had snapped her eyes closed as soon as they reached the portal. She wasn't entirely sure what she expected of the Shadow Angel.

_:My name is Appollonius:_

Celiane looked back at him startled that he had willingly given his name. Her gaze shifted towards the ground and she stared in awe at the beautiful sight grasping at Apollonius' neck while stifling a gasp when he shifted her body so that her legs were draped over his left arm and his other arm braced her back.

What looked to be an enormous bouquet of large vibrant flowers was sitting in the middle of a building that jutted out into two overhangs with pillars holding them up separately. These overhangs traveled around the large bouquet, then jutted out in a long straight line where the two overhangs met on the opposite side. Celiane looked over the large expanse, admiring the beauty of the flourishing foliage and wildlife.

Below them were several Shadow Angels that looked to be children playing a game in the air above the building.

"Where are we?" she asked looking up at him.

The up and down motion of flapping wings halted allowing them to glide with his flaming crimson hair whipping around behind him.

_:Atlandia:_

The angle of their flying shifted downwards towards the bouquet of giant flowers.

Descending she looked down at the strange plant noticing more and more details as they came closer. Along with the clearing details came a strange peculiarity. There were things growing out of it. Things that resembled...people.

"Apollonius, are those...are those humans?" she cautiously asked.

Apollonius pulled out of the descent and gently landed at the base of the strange bouquet on a path that seemed to circle around the flowers. He dropped her legs allowing her to get her balance before releasing his hold on her upper body.

_:The Tree of Life is the Shadow Angel's responsibility. It is our duty to care for it until the day comes that it is fertilized. The tree is fed through the sustenance of the prauna of human life. It is our duty to care for the tree and yours to sustain it:_

"But why use humans?" Celiane questioned. "Why specifically us?"

She watched him step forward and place a hand on the base of the tree.

_:At first the tree sustained itself, but that sustenance began to dwindle. That is when the tree began to wilt and along with life itself. This is when panic began. Out of that panic came the discovery that human prauna can be used as sustenance for the Tree of Life: _

"So you began to abduct us to feed a tree?"

_:It is an honor to be harvested. It is the greatest peace that one could ever ask for: _

She frowned, unsure of whether to believe what he seemed to.

"Can humans be released from the tree?" She knew she was digging, but if there was the possibility, then she would use this opportunity to try and find David.

_:Yes. All Shadow Angels possess the ability to release the humans from the tree: _

"Only Shadow Angels? So I couldn't walk up to the tree and remove someone?"

Apollonius nodded.

He looked back at her curiously. _:Someone close to you has been harvested?: _

"Yes," she answered sadly. "He was taken during the first attacks...harvests as you call them. I was wondering if I might be able to bring him back with me..."

Apollonius turned back to the base of the tree. He was silent for several minutes contemplating something she said or his own thoughts before removing his hand from the tree and looking back at Celiane.

_:I will draw this wingless one from the tree, however in return you will stay in his place: _

Alarmed she took a step back as if she could ever outrun him.

"You mean as part of the tree?"

_:No. I suspect that part of your strange immunity to the hypnosis means you will be unable to join with the Tree of Life: _

"What will I be able to do then?"

_:You will serve Toma and I:_

"How would I be serving?"

_:Nothing of your physical body as you appear to be worrying about: _He looked back to the tree again. _:Toma and I will not require much more than you just assisting in whatever project we are working on at the time: _

She looked to the ground contemplating the idea.

"I will stay, but I wish to see him safe with Scorpius back where we left him on the beach before we return."

She stuck her right hand out in front of her signaling her consent.

_:That is acceptable: _He took her hand in his. _:Think of the wingless one you wish me to remove from the tree:_

* * *

Scorpius sat under the shadows within the tree line watching the sky hoping Celiane hadn't been taken forever.

He spoke quietly to himself in a whisper barely audible to anything else. "Celiane, please be safe. I don't want to have to find you along with all the others."

Scorpio leaned back against the rough bark of the tree trunk behind him. He shifted to loosen up his muscles and revive the blood flow through them.

"Scorpius!" a voice called out.

His eyes blinked open not entirely sure that he was actually hearing his name.

"Scorpius!"

"Celiane..." he muttered surprised. "Celiane!"

He stood abruptly and looked past the trees. On the beach stood Celiane with the Shadow Angel behind her.

He grabbed his sword from where it lay against the tree and jogged out from the tree line to meet Celiane.

She looked to be distracted and he saw why as the Shadow Angel stepped back away from her. At her feet lay a still body.

"Celiane?" he reached her side glancing up at the Shadow Angel every few seconds. He took in the peaceful, relaxed face of the man at her feet. He had no facial hair and his skin was pale. His hair however looked as clean and nicely cut as if he had cut it just that morning. "Is that him? Is that David?"

She wiped the back of her hand across her face wiping away the forming tears. "Yes."

"How..." He glanced up at the Shadow Angel quietly standing nearby observing the scene. He looked back at Celiane in askance. "How did you...?"

He was answered by silence.

"Celiane, you didn't..." Scorpius let loose a loud groan. "You _idiot_! Haven't you realized that if your positions were reversed he would be just as worried about you as you were for him?"

Celiane looked up, her eyes were watery as if she was a dam about to burst. "I know, but I've been there. I've been to the Shadow Angel's home, Atlandia." She looked back down at David. "It's a beautiful place, Scorpius. There won't be a problem. Please just trust me, this was the best way I could make things work. I will be free to do what I want so long as I obey them. David would still be imprisoned within the tree if I hadn't…" She seemed unable to say anything more.

He folded his arms together in front of his chest still annoyed. "Celiane..." he released a sigh allowing himself to relax. "Celiane, I don't know whether I should be angry or happy for you...For one you are now being taken to the very place that we have been trying to rescue people from. On the other hand you have rescued the one you had been looking for all these years and..." he sighed again unable to say anymore.

Scorpius fell to his knees and embraced Celiane.

Celiane, startled by Scorpius' sudden move, froze in his embrace.

"Please, be careful, Celiane," he quietly requested.

Celiane relaxed finally smiling and returned the embrace. "I will, Scorpius. Don't you worry about me. Just take care of David for me and let him know that I will be safe. One day I will return to him...and you."

The two friends released one another. Celiane gazed down at her love sadly. She leaned over and gently placed her lips upon his forehead, then lips.

"Don't worry, beloved. I will return," she promised.

She stood, looked out to the ocean, and smiled a carefree smile.

"Scorpius," she turned back to face him with her carefree smile, "We will see each other again. I guarantee that."

Despite the wide smile on her face Scorpius could see the tear that had finally escaped the unyielding dam running down her cheek, reflecting the light of the sun.

Forlornly he watched her walk over to the Shadow Angel. This Angel who had come into their lives no more than twenty-four hours ago and had already taken their lives and twisted them around to something neither of them truly recognized anymore.

There was no clear future to either of them. It was all a foggy path that was invisible to them at the moment.

"What chance do we stand?" Scorpius asked quietly under his breath.

* * *

We reentered Atlandia's skies through the portal. Silently Celiane mourned the loss of her freedom, but at the same time was relieved she didn't have to worry about David.

Apollonius glided in a different direction this time flying past the tree of life to the far side of the building.

_:Beloved, there you are...: _

She could see the white haired Shadow Angel, Toma gliding over just above the ground.

Apollonius touched down and released his hold on me. _:Have you been searching for me long?:_

_Toma wasn't listening as he had seen Celiane when Apollonius released her. The Shadow Angel appeared enraged. _

_:Apollonius, what is the meaning of this?:_ Toma demanded, sharply gesturing toward her.

Apollonius glided across the ground to Toma. She was completely taken by surprise when Apollonius embraced Toma and even gave him a peck on the lips. She was even more surprised when Toma returned the embrace. The two appeared to be having a silent conversation that she was not allowed to partake in.

The two Shadow Angels released each other from their embrace. Toma glided towards her with a neutral expression on his face, Apollonius observing his actions.

_:You will be under Otoha's supervision until you can be trusted to do as you are told: _

I nodded to give my understanding. If I was to live here, then I might as well start off without angering someone with insubordinance.

Sensing something behind her Celiane whirled around on the balls of her feet to come face to face with a female Shadow Angel draped with a long purple cloak.

She had a blue hood draped over her head only revealing her blue and yellow eye, and dark purple lipstick. Her arms were wings with hands positioned like a bats on the wing joint.

_:Is this the Wingless One, Master Toma?: __The obvious distaste was not reassuring to Celiane, but she didn't allow any emotions to find their way across her face. _

_:Yes. Show her what she will be doing and supervise her until Apollonius, you or I deem her trustworthy...Or at least as trustworthy as a Wingless One can get: _

Celiane frowned disapprovingly at the extra comment. "It's not like I can go anywhere from here without that portal you guys use anyways," She reminded them.

Otoha glared at Celiane with an annoyed expression. _:I would be careful about what you say, Wingless One. You might just find that you regret it later on:_

Celiane rolled her eyes at her attempt to scare me into obedience. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

They eyed each other, each sizing the other up. Apollonius seemed to have decided that that was enough and stepped between the two females.

_:We will all treat each other with respect. Otoha, she is to be our assistant and I wish for her to be able to do her job without any hindrances. Am I understood?:_

_:Yes, Lord Apollonius:_

Apollonius turned to Celiane. _:If there are any problems please let me know. Despite you being a Wingless One, I made a deal with you to swap with your loved one. I believe that you should be given the same treatment as he was. Once you have proven to the others that you will be true to our deal, then I will be able to give you more freedom: _

Celiane turned to the only Shadow Angel that had shown her kindness to this point and expressed her gratitude, "Apollonius, thank you, for everything."

_:I wouldn't thank me just yet, wingless one:_

She didn't reply. Who knew what might happen in the future. The future was not clear and the only thing that would keep me going would be the fact that I was able to take David from this place and return his life to him.

Scorpius may have not approved of the deal I made, but I felt that it was for a worthy cause.

_I will just have to work my way through this and hope for the best._


	7. Loyalties

**Chapter 7**

**Loyalties  
**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

_Author's Note: Good Luck to all countries in the Olympics! Readers: I have caught up to all that I have written so far. I hope to have another chapter up for this next weekend, but it may take a little longer, so please bear with me. It took me all day today writing, rewriting, and editing this chapter until I was happy with it. Please enjoy and review at the end!  
_

* * *

_"The saddest thing in the world, is loving someone who used to love you."__-Anonymous_

* * *

…2 Years Later…

* * *

Toma observed from inside the as Celiane and Apollonius went against one another. Apollonius was armed with his sword that he had and Celiane had a dagger.

Toma had been against Apollonius' wish to allow Celiane more freedoms after such a short amount of time. Toma knew he could take care of himself, but the very fact that the wingless one should be allowed anymore freedom than she already had been.

The anger he had felt when Apollonius had first started teaching the wingless one swordplay. His anger was immeasurable.

_Toma had been watching Apollonius from afar as he approached the wingless one tending to the flowers…._

_Celiane settled back on the balls of her feet and wiped the sweat from her forehead._

_She gazed around at the flowers surrounding the path that she stood upon despite the skeletons surrounding her in and amongst the flowers. His garden was filled with white roses and it was the one place that the wingless one appeared to like to work in because the other Shadow angels rarely came. _

_:Celiane: She and Toma turned their gazes toward Apollonius. _

_She stood and greeted him with a polite bow, "Good day Apollonius." _

_Apollonius nodded in return. __:There is no need to be so formal with me when we are alone, Celiane:_

_Toma frowned at his casualness around the wingless one. She flashed a grateful smile back at him and turned back to the roses she had been tending to when he had arrived. "What can I help you with?"_

_Apollonius placed a hand on her shoulder and another under her arm. He gently applied pressure signaling she should stand._

_:I was curious to know if you would like to help me pass the time with a sparring match?:_

_She turned to face him surprised. "Really?"_

_He gave a nod in return. Celiane's surprised face lifted with excitement. "I'd love to!"_

_:Then come: __he gestured for her to walk with him __:Friend:_

_She halted mid-step unaware that Toma was bristling with anger. _

_Apollonius had gone on ahead a few feet and looked over his shoulder at her._

_:Coming?:_

_"Uh, yeah...Yeah, I'm coming!"_

_Outside in a crumbling coliseum Celiane held the short sword strangely in her hands. To Toma's experienced eyes it didn't appear as though the wingless one had ever handled a sword before. _

_"Apollonius, there is one little problem with this..." she caught his gaze with her own. "I've never learned how to use a sword..."_

_:So you've only ever used a spear in battle before?:_

_"Yeah." _

_:Well then, I shall remedy this. Come:__ he glided to her side. Toma's anger flared into an overwhelming aura around him. He took her hands and placed them side by side on the leather wrapped grip between the pommel and cross guard. __:Have a firm but relaxed grip here. Now try an overhand cut:_

_He stood back giving her space__. _She tested the balance of the blade first, then raised the blade above her head to slice back down in an overhand cut. With the full force of the downward stroke she stumbled forward regaining her balance by catching the tip of the sword in the dirt in front of her. 

_"I'm definitely not balanced for that!" she exclaimed._

_:It should be fine...Unless...:__ His eyes traveled to her legs and feet __:How do you place your feet when you are using your spear? Are they together like they are now? Or do you spread them apart?:_

_Celiane rolled her eyes and huffed. "Right, the stance. Why didn't I think of that before?"_

_She spread her feet apart about shoulder width with one foot slightly forward and the other back with bent knees. She swung the sword up above her head once again and sliced downwards, this time with a clean cut and no stumbling or becoming unbalanced._

_:Much better: __Apollonius praised. _

_Toma's hands clenched into fists at his sides. _:Why? Why does he give the wingless one such kindness? Why does he grant her such freedoms?:

Since then Toma had taken to quietly observing the interactions between the two.

The two continued their sparring match and Toma dissipated the image from the observation mirror. Nothing more was going to happen at the moment.

* * *

Scorpius stood in front of the passenger seat of the armored vehicle that one of his fathers soldiers was currently driving.

The vehicle hit every bump jarring his knees and body, but he paid no attention to the pain intent on their destination. His search parties had finally found what he had been looking for. All the time spent at his father's castle going on in life and waiting for the results of what his father and so many others had told him was a futile search.

The results were just up ahead according to the coordinates of where the search team spotted them. The anxiousness he had been feeling before had tripled in might while traveling.

If his team was right, then he would have Celiane back with him once again… however he was not looking forward to telling her about that day…

_Scorpius pushed the rice grains around his plate chasing them, but never going in to capture them. _

_"...Scorpius...Scorpius! What has gotten into you?" his father's voice broke his train of thought._

_He rose and bowed politely. "My apologies Father. I hadn't realized that I had become so distracted tonight. May I be excused for tonight?"_

_"Go," he waved his hand. "It's obvious that you aren't going to be any kind of company while you are this distracted."_

_Scorpius nodded and left the room. _

_His father was right. He had been distracted._

_ Before any of this had happened. _

_Before the attacks. _

_Before losing friends to the abominable Shadow Angels._

_Before losing Celiane... _

_He would have allowed himself to become distracted. Now there was no excuse for distractions. _

_It was either kill or be killed and he intended to be the killer rather than the corpse._

_He halted his path as he passed a window and gazed out upon the city surrounded by steep cliffs. The golden city was pocketed in a canyon easily concealed had the city not been so bright. He placed his hand upon the glass gazing out at those walking along the paths above and below the buildings. _

_He narrowed his eyes when he spotted the familiar brown swath of hair that belonged to the one Celiane had rescued, her lover David. He appeared to be chatting with a couple of girls...no not chatting...flirting._

_"That bastard," he muttered angrily under his breath. Scorpius stormed down the hall._

* * *

_"Hey sweetheart. Want to go get a drink?"_

_She graced him with a seductive smile. "Well, you appear to be a gentlemen. I'd be happy to take up your offer."_

_The man held out his arm triumphantly. She gently placed her arm upon his with another smile._

_The man was suddenly swept off his feet and sent flying backwards. The woman's happiness was transformed into shock as she looked in the opposite direction that the man had gone flying to see the Duke's son._

_"I-is there a problem, my Lord?" she stuttered out fearfully._

_David pushed himself up with one hand while rubbing the back of his head with the other. _

_His eyes were riddled with annoyance and hate. His hands were clenched at his sides in tight fists. His entire body posture was so tense he looked like a rubber band ready to snap at the slightest touch. ._

_"You BASTARD! Celiane spent all these years worrying over a conniving, cheating, disloyal BASTARD!" Scorpius heard whimpering to the side and turned his glare onto the poor girl who had come to be the innocent victim. "Leave us!"_

_The girl whimpered in fear of the young lord. She frantically nodded and bolted. She would put as much distance between them as was physically possible. Scorpius turned his loathing gaze back upon the man._

_"David. Don't you understand what she went through? Don't you understand that she still loves you? Don't you understand any of this? Or has your brain become so addled by your time with the Shadow Angel's that you can't make any sense of the world anymore."_

_David looked up at Scorpius scowling at the Dukes son. "Look Scorpius, I'm grateful an all for the help, but I really just want to find the peace. The peace that I felt. The love. The happiness. The warmth." A dazed and dreaming look crossed over onto David's face, "All those lovely feelings. I've never felt anything like it before..."_

_Scorpius stared at David astonished. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was the man Celiane had spent all these years searching for and now he didn't care about that...not even once did it phase him. Scorpius' astonishment turned into disgust._

_"I can't believe you..." Scorpius turned away from David. "You disgust me."_

_Scorpius left David sitting on the ground with an unfocused look._

_He made it back to the front doors of the castle before he reached up to wipe away the tear that had slid down his cheek._

_"I'm sorry, Celiane." Scorpio fell back against the closest wall wrapping his arms around his trembling body and staring down at his feet. "I just don't know how to reach him... or you for that matter…Everything is slipping away."_

"Sir."

Scorpius brushed back his hair with one hand bringing himself back to the present.

"Yes?"

"Sir, we will be arriving at the coordinates in a few minutes."

"Alright. Are all the teams ready?" Scorpius asked.

The soldier nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Send the scouting team ahead to determine where she is. Once they have her exact whereabouts, then have the other teams split up and surround the area she is in. If there are any Shadow Angels, then fight for the kill. Is that understood?"

The soldier gave a curt nod and began passing along the instructions giving each team their job.

A vehicle alongside them pulled ahead speeding onward while the other vehicles including the one he was in slowed to a stop pulling off to the side where a small clump of trees were spread out creating a small amount of cover.

Scorpius waited alongside his team until finally a crackling on the radio got their attention.

"We've found the target. There are two shadow angels here. One is a small puppy with wings. It doesn't appear to be much of a threat, however the other one is a male Shadow Angel. He has flaming red hair and is wielding a large broadsword. The two appear to be sparring."

Scorpius frowned, "Sparring? Are you sure she isn't resisting and trying to escape?"

"Positive sir. There doesn't appear to be any ill will in her attacks. Hold on…They have stopped sparring and appear to be talking now. The Angel dog is flying over to Celiane and she has allowed it to land in her arms. She is currently petting it and talking to the Shadow Angel..."

"Enough," Scorpius commanded. "All teams move in! We are taking this Shadow Angel down and bringing Celiane home."

"Yes, sir!" all the soldiers answered.

The drivers all started up their vehicles engine around them and took off for their positions around the area. As they approached crumbling walls came into view. The vehicles on either side of Scorpius split off from the center group to travel around either direction.

As the vehicle Scorpius was in slid to a halt, he leaped out of the vehicle drawing his blade at the same time to land crouched and ready to spring into action.

* * *

Apollonius stood across from Celiane. Celiane stood strongly with her short sword in hand panting from exertion of attempting to catch him off guard and win their sparring match.

She charged forward once again to slash at him.

He moved to the side with minimal movement except a turn of his head.

Celiane planted her left foot and spun around on it using the momentum from her charge. She charged once more this time sliding to a halt next to Apollonius and striking out at his side. He caught the short sword with his own holding it there calmly. They pushed away from each other with their blades held out in front of them.

She attacked once more this time striking again and again trying to break through his guard. Apollonius calmly blocked each strike until he finally locked their blades together and gave Celiane a small smile.

_:You've gotten better, Celiane:_

Celiane smiled in return, pushing away from his blade.

A flutter of wings and a small quiet bark interrupted them as Pollon drifted into Celiane's arms and gave her a lick on the cheek.

"Hello to you too Pollon," Celiane greeted scratching his head.

Pollon's friendly greeting changed to a growl. Pollon jumped out of Celiane's arms and faced one of the columns broken in half.

Celiane looked at the column in confusion moving to Pollon's side in an attempt to calm him. "What's wrong Pollon?"

Apollonius placed a hand on her shoulder.

_:Easy, Pollon: _Apollonius shifted his attention away from the Shadow Angel Dog_ :Reveal yourself Wingless one:_

The three watched as a figure moved out from behind the shadow of the column.

"Scorpius!" Celiane gasped.

Scorpius smiled, "Celiane, I've finally found you."

He moved farther out into the open with his sword raised in front of him. He eyed Apollonius standing just behind her.

_:If you wish to attack, Wingless One, then do so: _

Scorpius frowned. "So are you able to read minds, as well then?"

Apollonius answered by raising his own sword and pushing Celiane behind him. Celiane quietly moved back.

"Scorpius, please! I ask that you honor the bargain I made with Apollonius."

Scorpius shook his head. "I have spent the last two years searching for you. I will not let you disappear again just because these Bastards tricked you into staying!"

A hand grabbed her wrist from behind yanking her back. She reacted instantly thrusting her short sword around and behind her stabbing into flesh.

"Celiane! Don't fight them! They can take you far away from here!" Scorpius cried out to her.

Celiane turned to face the soldiers breaking cover behind her. "I already told you Scorpius! I will honor my word to Apollonius!"

"Please come with us Miss," a soldier requested.

Celiane raised her blade to the soldiers.

_:Wait, Celiane. If they are willing to put up this fight and you wish to go with them, then I will allow you to do so:_

Celiane glanced back at Apollonius. "You would let me go?"

"That doesn't mean we will let you go off on your merry way you Shadow Angel Bastard!" Scorpius snapped.

With his sword raised overhead he charged forward. The blade was stopped with a resounding clang.

Scorpius pressed down with all his strength. He stopped when he registered who was standing in front of him as his opponent.

"Celiane!" He pulled back in surprise.

"Scorpius, quit this ridiculousness. Apollonius has already said he would allow me to return. Besides Apollonius has been nothing, but kind and courteous to me. Apollonius is a friend!"


	8. Reasons

**Chapter 8**

**Reasons  
**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

* * *

_"If we don't end war, war will end us."_

_H.G. Wells_

* * *

"Scorpius, quit this ridiculousness. Apollonius has already said he would allow me to return. Besides Apollonius has been nothing, but kind and courteous to me. Apollonius is a friend!"

Apollonius and Scorpius froze in shock staring at Celiane with surprise etched on their faces.

Celiane released a the air that she hadn't realized she was holding.

_:I believe what Celiane is trying to say is "May we talk this out calmly and without drawn blades": _Apollonius commented.

Celiane flashed a grateful smile back at him. "Well at least one of you gets it."

She turned back to Scorpius, "Can we try to do this without violence?"

Scorpius sighed and nodded unhappily. "Everyone stand down," he commanded.

The teams all sheathed their blades or brought their weapons into a relaxed stance. They stood at ease around the perimeter of the broken down coliseum.

A few minutes later only the three remained within the ruins. Celiane sat down with Pollon sitting on her lap in between the two males watching Scorpius out of the corner of her eye.

Scorpius appeared to be engaging in a one sided staring/ glaring contest at Apollonius.

Celiane sighed and covered her eyes with her hands. "Can't you call it a truce while we are talking?"

Scorpius stubbornly folded his arms together.

A crack resounded through the still air.

Scorpius staggered back astonished. In front of where he had been previously been standing was Celiane holding Pollon on one arm. Her other arm was crossed across her body after slapping him.

He brought a hand up to his face instantly feeling the heat rising in the imprint of a hand.

"C…Celiane…"

"Please can't we just be _civil_ about this," Celiane requested with a slight snarl of frustration.

Scorpius remained silent for a few moments while watched by the others.

"Celiane, will you answer a question for me," he requested turning his gaze to his hands.

"Yes."

"Have you fallen for him?"

Celiane gave a questioning look. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Have you fallen for this Shadow Angel and lost sight of David?"

Celiane opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

Scorpius nodded. "I thought as much…and perhaps it is for the best." He turned to Apollonius. "I will make you a deal Shadow Angel. Will you hear it?"

_:I will hear what you wish to say, Wingless One:_

"I wish to bring Celiane back home to her own people, however I am not willing to leave you here to continue plaguing human kind. I understand that Celiane wishes to honor her bargain with you… My deal is that you and Celiane will return with us, that way she can honor her deal with you and I can let her enjoy time around her own people. Is that satisfactory?"

The two males stood their silently for a while.

_:I accept:_

Celiane grinned at the agreement.

"Shall we all get going then?" Celiane suggested.

"We're heading out!" Scorpius shouted walking away from the two towards the opening that he originally entered the coliseum.

Apollonius glanced at Celiane questioningly who smiled and took his hand in her own. The Shadow Angel looked down at the hand and allowed her to pull him along behind her. Pollon yipped and flew into the air following them.

* * *

The group arrived back at the gates to the city and they passed through with no problem.

Celiane and Apollonius were inside one of the vehicles under a canvas covering, much to Apollonius' and Pollon's annoyance.

Scorpius and Celiane didn't want to risk any of the citizens deciding that they were going to attack with no questions asked as had become custom in order to protect the city.

Celiane lifted a flap of canvas. She peered out with Pollon under her chin sniffing the air. The two watched people and buildings pass by as the vehicles passed through the streets.

Celiane pulled back from the opening and sat back against the wall.

_:Is something bothering you?: _

Celiane shrugged, "I don't really know. I guess I'm just… not entirely sure how to interact with others at the moment, seeing as how I have been away from humans for two years….Apollonius?"

_:Yes?:_

"Why did you agree to all this? I mean...You could have just said I could go with Scorpius, then flown away and gone back to Atlandia and yet…you stayed and came with me."

_:I suppose you could say I came to satisfy my curiosity:_

"Curiousity?"

_:When we were first born from the Tree of Life. Shadow Angels have believed that the Wingless Ones are merely sustenance for the tree of life and in turn ourselves. I wish to learn more about your culture and why you fight back against all odds. Why even after our first harvesting you seemed more and more determined to fight us each time:_

"I'll be sure to give you a taste of our life style and maybe I can help you understand how stubborn we can be," Celiane promised.

* * *

Toma glided across the floor towards the tree of life. He admired the trees beauty as did so many other Angels.

_:Toma!:_ a voice called out to him.

Toma turned in place. Otoha was rapidly gliding towards him.

_:What is the matter, Otoha?: _he asked.

Otoha stopped in front of him. _:I went to find Apollonius for Johannes who wished to speak with him, however I haven't been able to find him anywhere…Did he leave Atlandia for any reason?:_

Toma smiled, _:I'm sure he has just gone out for a small bit. He will most likely be back later:_

Otoha didn't seem convinced, but nodded and left Toma alone.

Toma turned back to the Tree of Life. _:Apollonius…:_

* * *

When we had reached the castle, he had left Celiane and Apollonius in rooms of their own and was now returning to his.

Arriving back at my rooms Scorpius wasn't exactly surprised to find a servant standing outside my door.

"My Lord Scorpius, the Arch Duke wishes to see you," the servant said after bowing.

He nodded acknowledging what the servant said, "Tell my father that I will see him once I have freshened up."

"Yes, My Lord." The servant bowed again and left.

Scorpius strode into his rooms and pulled out the first outfit he saw that was a cross between formal/casual attire. He quickly cleaned himself up, then pulled on his pants.

Scorpius had just slid his arms into his shirt when he heard a knock on my door and answered it. Celiane stood just beyond looking unsure of herself and gazing at the floor.

"What's wrong, Celiane?"

She looked up startled as if she hadn't seen and heard the door open. Recovering she quietly asked, "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Happily he nodded with a smile and moved aside gesturing for her to enter.

"As long as you don't mind me finishing getting ready to see my father."

Celiane shook her head. "I don't mind at all. I'm the one coming to you."

He now noticed as she passed him that she had cleaned herself up and changed into a flowing white Greek style dress that was accented with gold lining and ties. Scorpius also heard a small yip and noticed that the Shadow Angel dog was asleep nestled within her arms.

Closing the door Scorpius guided her to a seat next to the small tea table near the balcony.

"What can I do for you?"

"Scorpius, I would like to ask a huge favor of you…" she paused looking up and meeting his eyes.

He was surprised by the amount of pleading her eyes appeared to be sending him.

Grimacing he stated, "Let me guess…this has something to do with that Shadow Angel…"

Celiane nodded, looking away suddenly appearing unsure of herself.

With a sigh he nodded, "What do you need?"

She looked up, hope sparkling in her eyes. "Well, I have learned a lot about Apollonius and the other Shadow Angels in my time with them in Atlandia…however Apollonius knows almost nothing about us and our culture. One of the reasons he accepted your deal was because he believed it would give him a better chance to finally get to know who we are instead of what the Shadow Angels believe us to be.

I'd really like to give him that chance, but I can't unless I have your support. Otherwise I fear that the people would take the first opportunity to try and kill him…Could you find it possible to open your mind and find out more about him before passing judgment? Could you welcome him with an open mind and help me share our culture with him?"

Scorpius sat silently mulling over her words for a few minutes. Celiane sat there eyeing him hopefully.

He found himself unable to deny her that wish. "I can't promise much, but I will make the effort to get to know… Apollonius…better before making my judgment of him. _However,_ if he should happen to make any kind of violent act towards my people, then I will not hesitate to use any means necessary to bring him down."

Celiane beamed and leaped out of her seat dropping the now awake Pollon into the air to glide out of the way and embraced Scorpius in her arms.

"Thank you so much, Scorpius," she muttered into his ear.

Scorpius returned the embrace marveling at the strength he could now feel within the muscles of her arms.

He pulled back. "Let's start by having lunch tomorrow in the side hall, just the three of us."

Pollon yipped loudly from beside them. "Make that four," Celiane corrected giggling.

"I will inform Apollonius as soon as I have spoken with my father and later maybe we can have dinner together and you can tell me what you know about him, so that I may be able to help him understand us."

Celiane embraced him again. As she pulled away she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and walked away and out of the room.

Slightly stunned and happy, Scorpius placed gentle fingers where her lips had met his cheek.

A servant knocked on the open door sending Scorpius scrambling to his feet, rapidly buttoning his shirt and running out the door with a nod towards the servant in thanks.

The servant watched Scorpius run off wordlessly before shrugging and closing the door to the Arch Duke's son's room.

* * *

Scorpius hurried down the hall slowing to a brisk walk down the hall from his father's office. He knew he already had one lecture in store for his actions. He didn't need to earn another for appearing in front of his father breathless after having hurried to reach his rooms in a timely manner.

Outside his father's door, he took a deep breath in and released it before knocking on the door.

"Enter."

Scorpius pushed the door inward entering the ornate office that his father used for conducting business. Those who came here to do business with him were often in awe of the intricate detail put into the wood of the walls and the furniture. For him it was nothing new. It was all the same as when he was younger.

He hardly noticed the vines carved into the walls that he used to run his hand along until he could reach no higher and could only stare up at lost in a day dream of one day being tall enough to explore higher.

His father stood beside the window gazing at the city below them.

Scorpius stood in front of his desk with his hands clasped comfortably behind his back. He waited patiently for his father to start. It was a game they used to play when he was young and impatient. Whoever broke the silence first would end up having to wash the dishes for the night alongside the kitchen servants. Scorpius was usually the one who broke it first, but after so many years of learning how to push back his impatience he was very good at waiting until his father said something, now neither one washed the dishes at all as they were past the fun and games in this time of survival.

"Never did I believe I would see the day when one of those things would be living among us," the Arch Duke broke the silence. "Tell me, Scorpius, what do you intend to do about the situation you have placed us in?"

"Situation? There is no situation, Father," he replied. "After all these years of searching for Celiane, I wasn't about to let her slip through my fingers again. Her wish was that she be allowed to abide by the bargain she had agreed upon. I made a bargain with the Shadow Angel that I would honor their bargain. He could have simply flown away and I would have allowed him to."

He paused for once unsure of how he was going to justify his actions. His father turned from the window to face him.

The Arch Duke waited, watching his son.

Scorpius looked up, a determined look taking over any doubts he had earlier. "I wish to end the misery, the bloodshed, this whole War! All the lives lost! For what!" he gestured angrily at the windows, "For some _misunderstanding_?"

Scorpius stepped forward and placed his hands on his father's desk. "We know next to nothing about these Shadow Angels. The only information we do know fits into half a journal… Until Celiane and I survived that attack on the base, we didn't even know what our assailants looked like. And now," he straightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides, "I find out that they know just as much as we do…and I for one refuse to continue fighting a war where neither side understands the other. This war was started on nothing, but miscommunication and pure survival instincts and I am going to change that."

Scorpius pivoted on his toes and marched from the room missing the smile that had appeared on the Arch Duke's face at his resolve.

* * *

Celiane had pulled on a long white dress that had a low V neck and was held up by the leather piece flowing from the dress to comfortably encircle her neck. The long sleeves draped over her arm connecting at three points. A red scarf encircled her waist a couple times braided on the right securing the dress in place and accenting her figure. On her forehead rested a circle of silver metal with a simple design engraved around a single purple jewel.

She smiled at the fact that her appearance could have passed her off as a Shadow Angel if only she had wings. Her admiration was interrupted by a knock on the door frame. She turned already knowing who was there.

Scorpius stood in the doorway looking like a Arch Duke's son in his dark purple outfit trimmed with silver tinted blue that complemented his dark hair held back in place by a ring of metal with the same silver tinted blue with a jewel embedded on the flower bud on the right side of his head.

"Celiane," he greeted with a low bow.

She smiled and walked over happy that he didn't appear to be unhappy by her earlier request.

"Are you ready for dinner?" he asked.

She nodded with a smile and he held out his arm to her. She placed her arm on top of his and he gently guided her to the dining hall where platters were set out waiting for their arrival.

He made sure she was comfortable in her chair before going to his own and sitting down across from her at one of the tables. If they were having this meal with the Arch Duke, then it would be more formal and they would be sitting on the opposite ends of the table, but with just the two of them he had made it less formal where they were sitting directly across the width of the table from each other.

He started to dish up his plate and eat while thinking about what he wanted to know first.

Celiane followed his example and quietly ate, allowing him time to think.

Finally Scorpius put his fork down.

"Why don't you start at the beginning," he suggested. "I want to know everything you know about the Shadow Angel's."

Celiane nodded and took a moment to finish the food in her mouth.

"Well, there are many Shadow Angels. Their race is very similar to ours in a way, with some differences. The few main differences that I know of are that the Shadow Angels, obviously, speak with their minds and I have never seen one touch the ground. They are always hovering above the ground or flying. They sustain themselves much like we do, except that their energy source comes from us. Well more specifically our Prana."

"Prana?"

Celiane frowned, "The best way I can describe it is that it is our life energy. Even that isn't a very accurate explanation." Scorpius nodded in understanding. "The other thing that is different between us is they are immortal. I'm not sure if it is just that they can't die from old age and could still be killed by a mortal wound. Those are the main differences that I know of."

"What of their leadership?" Scorpius asked, "Surely they have someone in charge."

She nodded confirmation, "They have a group of Shadow Angels who appear to be the circle of leadership. Apollonius is a part of that group as well as Toma, who you have also met before, Otoha, Moroha, Lensi, Shiha, and the elder Angel Johannes."

"Apollonius is a part of that group?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah, that's why he was able to protect me from the others for so long, not to mention he has been known to have a quick temper."

"Really?"

"Yeah, each of the different Shadow Angels has a specific talent. For Apollonius he is known as a Destroyer Angel. Then Toma is known as a Holy Angel, although I'm not entirely sure why. It might be that he is extremely knowledgeable. Otoha is known as a Music Angel for her hypnosis. She is the one responsible for hypnotizing humans to walk towards the Harvest Beasts. Moroha is known as the Warrior Angel. He's probably the more temperamental besides Apollonius. Lensi is known as the Architypal Angel. He is the one who creates the Cherubims that guard the Harvest Beasts. And last but not least, Shilha. He's like Pollon, but he is a lion Shadow Angel. There is another like him, but I haven't ever heard him talk. He is usually with Shilha and they tend to watch the Shadow Angel children to make sure they don't get into trouble. Shilha was always kind to me."

"Well, they seem like quite the crowd," Scorpius said.

Celiane grinned, "You could say that."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about them?"

She shook her head, "That's about the extent of my knowledge. It's not like they were exactly offering free hand outs of personal information."

Scorpius frowned. "Well, it's not much, but it's certainly more than we have known since the start of all this. Do you mind going over everything in detail later? I'd like to make as accurate drawings of as many angels as I can within the journal."

"I'd love to," she smiled happily.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, although I did warn you all that it would take time for me to get the next chapter up. But here it is! _

_I hope you enjoyed it and please take the time to let me know what you liked/ didn't like. Thanks for reading!  
_


	9. Forget

**Chapter 9**

**Forget  
**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

* * *

_"It may seem as the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the guy who forgot about you" _

_–_The Notebook

* * *

…The Next Day…

The sun had just crested the mountains in the distance casting the first rays of golden sunlight onto the city. The city was coming alive with the first touches of the sun's rays.

Standing next to the window, Apollonius gazed out at the open skies. He loved watching the rising sun. The brilliant colors that streamed outward from the ball of fire were remarkable and unlike anything on this planet.

_:Do you think there is hope, Pollon? Or am I just messing with a dream that can never come to pass?:_

Pollon yipped.

* * *

Scorpius slowly walked down the hall caught in thought. He reached the doors to the smaller more private dining hall and pushed them open.

He had ordered that a large plethora of food be made and set out in the small private dining hall that was adjacent to the more public one. The smaller more private dining hall was just as exquisite as the large public one. The stained glass windows created a multitude of color around the room accented by the rather large crystals placed at each corner of the room.

He wasn't entirely sure if Apollonius could even eat physical food or if Prana was the only food source they had.

Scorpius was making a large effort to welcome Apollonius because of his promise to Celiane to remain open minded to their cultural differences. He had also done a lot of thinking the night before after the dinner he had shared with Celiane. From what he understood these Shadow Angels were practically gods with all of their strengths and abilities and if they could convince Apollonius to fight on their side, then they may have a chance at surviving this ongoing war.

The opening of the door caught his attention and he looked up to see Apollonius enter the room with the little Shadow Angel dog flying at his side.

"Welcome Apollonius to the last bastion of humanity, and my father's, Archduke Lierre's, capital," Scorpius formally greeted standing at the head of the table as the Shadow Angel entered the room.

Apollonius drifted forward to hover at the side of the table to Scorpius' left.

_:It is an honor, Sir Scorpius. It is because of your efforts that an Angel like me is able to meet you like this:_

"No," Scorpius raised his right hand to place it at the collar of his shirt, "we humans are the ones who need your power – the power of the Angels."

_:The power of the Angels?:_ Apollonius' voice sounded surprised and to Scorpius' own surprise the Shadow Angel's mouth turned up into a smile as he turned his gaze down to the table in front of them. _:For that, you will first have to explain to me the ways of human life:_

"Ah, this is our food," he gestured at the banquet style spread laid out before him.

The dog shadow angel, Pollon, flew up to just above the food and began to investigate the different smells.

_:Food?:_

"Yes. It is the source of human life." Scorpius knew that Apollonius had most likely never used his mouth to eat food before. From Celiane had been able to tell him, the Shadow Angel's commanded a large power through the vocalization of their voices. "The mouth of an Angel, like yours, is not for eating, but for singing the songs of the heavens, correct?"

He was curious about this power and what it might truly entail as Celiane had not seen it used, only heard about it.

_:Correct:_ Apollonius seemed to study Scorpius curiously, _:And the songs we sing with our voices have the power to shake the Earth:_

"I'd like to hear that singing voice someday." Scorpius, Apollonius, and Pollon all turned their gazes to the owner of the voice smiles alighting on Scorpius and Apollonius faces.

_:Celiane?:_

Celiane stood to Scorpius' right at the side of the table dressed in a simple white dress with a low v neck cut and sleeves that looped open and closed at a small bow. The dress was accented by a red belt that looped loosely around her waist, a gold broach at the bottom of the low v neck cut, and a silver circlet resting on her forehead with a blue gem settled into the metal.

Both men admired her beauty for a moment not saying a word.

"My there are so many" Celiane said happily. She clasped her hands together.

_:Hmm?: _Apollonius looked upon her clasped hands curiously. _:What's that?:_

"We humans cannot live without taking the lives or other beings as our sustenance." She released her clasped hands to gesture at the food, "Therefore, we hope, at the very least, that those lives will become one with us, so that they may live on through us. This hand is the life offered before us," She raised her right hand, then raised her left, "This hand is myself. Life and life shall become entangled into one." Celiane explained clasping both hands together once more and closing her eyes.

Apollonius' eyes lit up in understanding while Scorpius watched on silently. He turned to watch Apollonius curious as to what the Shadow Angel's reaction would be. The three remained that way silently for a minute.

Pollon decided that everything was too silent and flew from up to Celiane from her right with a couple yips and settling into Celianes open arms. Pollon licked her face. Celiane giggled at the Shadow Angel's licking of her cheek tickling her.

"That tickles, Pollon!" Celiane exclaimed.

_:The offered life?:_ Apollonius interrupted Pollon's tickling of Celiane _:I will become one?: _

Apollonius lifted his own hands in front of him staring at them curiously before clasping them together.

_:Is this the form of the human heart?:_

Pollon yipped from Celianes arms.

A sharp intake of breath not noticed by Celiane or Apollonius was the only clue besides Scorpius' surprised face at Apollonius comment.

Celiane could only smile happily.

* * *

Apollonius had left the two in the hall contemplating all the information they had shared with him.

Celiane smiled at Scorpius, "I'm going to go for a walk. I'll see you later."

She followed Apollonius out, but traveled down a different corridor that led to the streets outside the castle.

She spent time walking around the city stopping to talk to people in the streets or in shops. She explored the small quaint shops admiring the intricate pieces of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and jewelry.

She smiled enjoying the cool breeze that passed through the days heat and carrying the smells of food being cooked as well as laughter and chatter traveling through the streets.

She halted in her steps hearing a familiar laugh.

"Now what is a group of cute ladies doing alone on such a beautiful day?"

She turned to look around the corner.

A very drunk man leaned against the wall with several girls surrounding him blocking his face. The one who was blocking his face moved to the side to whisper to one of the other girls revealing someone Celiane knew very well.

"David…David?" She took in the sight of the girls surrounding David while he flirted with them. A drink in his hand and a smile on his face while the girls pressed against him.

Celiane was dumbstruck. She had spent many years looking for the love of her life only to find him flirting with random strangers and drunk out of his mind after she had given her own life in turn for his.

"you…You BASTARD!" Celiane charged forward and pushed all the girls out of her way ignoring their shouts and protests.

She grabbed David's shirt holding him before her and drawing her hand back in a clenched fist. She punched him across the face not holding anything back. He fell backwards onto the ground. He gazed up at her unable to focus very clearly.

He smiled up at her unable to comprehend the pain in his face.

"Do you even remember me?"

She fell to her knees straddling him. She threw punches at every part of his body she could, not caring about the damage she was causing.

The girls around her all screamed running away and every one of them hoping she wouldn't turn her attention to them.

She finally broke off from beating him as she was racked with tears.

"Well aren't you a beauty? Wanna join me somewhere private to play some?" he slurred in his drunken state.

Celiane only screamed in anger. She leapt at the man before her unleashing all of her frustration, anger, and fury upon him without care. Only after she had released all of her roiling emotions upon him did she take the sight before her into her eyes.

Blood was spattered everywhere. It flowed from spots she had broken the skin. His face was covered with no reprieve.

She brought her hands forward, only then noticing the blood that coated her hands and speckled her arms.

"Why?" She asked "Why?! I spent so much time searching for you only to find you never cared!"

She couldn't speak as her body shuddered with the pain ripping through her heart.

"You are not the man I knew. You are not David. You aren't him…. You are not…"

She pushed herself back up to stand above his body.

"I don't know you," she declared before sprinting away, back towards the castle.

She could only just make out the people around her. She didn't care that they were all staring after her as she ran by, her hands stained red with blood. She didn't stop for anything until she reached the castle. She only stopped long enough to pull the door open before racing to her room.

* * *

Apollonius had returned to his room, after spending time with Scorpius and Celiane. He had contemplated everything they had taught him, still unsure as to what some of it meant.

He had been deep in thought for the past couple of hours when it was interrupted by a wave of distress.

He reached out to touch the distress as it felt familiar to him. Upon closer inspection he knew who it was.

_:Celiane:_

Apollonius flew to the door and out of it with Pollon following close behind. He followed the path of distress to another door in the castle and didn't hesitate to go in.

Before him Celiane was face down on the bed her body trembling and a familiar smell in the air.

The smell of blood.

_:Celiane. What is wrong?: _Apollonius asked.

Celiane heard him, but couldn't find the strength to move or answer. Pollon flew over and gently nudged her face with his nose.

Apollonius sat down at her side not even touching the bed, but hovering above it. He gently placed a hand on Celiane's trembling shoulders.

Neither knew what happened within the seconds of his hand touching her shoulder, but somehow Celiane was now clinging to the Shadow Angel. Apollonius was startled, but relaxed and wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes and rested her head in the crook of his neck placing his chin on top of her head.

He silently held her weeping figure close to him not caring that her tears tinged the air with a salty scent mingling with the blood.

What seemed like hours later, Celiane pulled away and sat back on her bed refusing to meet his gaze.

Apollonius cupped her cheek in his hand stroking just below her eyelids with his thumb _:Do you wish to speak of what has ailed you?: _Apollonius asked.

Celiane remained silent gathering her thoughts. Apollonius and Pollon calmly and patiently waited for her to say something to break the silence that had descended upon the room.

"I believed that the day my village was destroyed and my friends and family taken that I would never be happy again. I thought that my life was over. Yet, when I awoke I was still alive. I was injured and dehydrated, but I had somehow kept my life." She began to wring her hands nervously. "That was the first day that I saw you."

Apollonius' eyes widened a touch in the revelation.

"I can remember that day as clearly as if it were yesterday. The screams…the fear…There was no warning for when you and your brethren attacked. There were no prayers that could stand protectively between us. There was no way to defend ourselves. Each of us watched as our friends and family were killed or snatched away within seconds of each other. We all felt that paralyzing fear that we would be the next until everyone was gone."

_She was alone. Completely alone…_

"The sunrise was not a reprieve. It was a reminder of what had happened that night. So much red filled the sky that I couldn't even look at it. I was the only one left."

_Alone. Completely alone…_

"And that's when I saw you for the first time. Your elegant and yet frightening figure that appeared to have caught on fire in the flames of the rising sun. Your beautiful white wings that had not even a speck of dust clinging to the feathers…"

_A single person remained besides her. His body stature was strong and reeked of authority and arrogance. His hair seemed to be on fire. He glanced around once before leaping skyward. Brilliant white wings that reflected the colors of the sun burst from his back powerfully thrusting downward. He flew into the lightening sky like a vengeful angel with his blood lust satisfied. _

_He disappeared into the rising sun._

_A heart wrenching scream startled any birds still roosting nearby._

_:Celiane: __Apollonius voice called her back from the memory that threatened to pull her in. _

_"And yet that one person," Celiane continued, "who I spent years of my life searching for…I loved him Apollonius! Where did I go wrong? What did I do to deserve his heartlessness?"_

_The Shadow Angel drew her back within his embrace. :Celiane, you did not do anything wrong. The man you once knew was used as sustenance for the Tree of Life and the Shadow Angels for far too long. He has most likely become addicted to the feeling of being at peace within the tree. Not having to worry about his past, present, or future. _

_The man you once knew has died and in his place was born a very different person. Unfortunately, that is usually the sign that he did not speak truthfully in a case where he should have. I do not believe that he has ever loved you the way he once thought he did. It is unfortunate for you that you had to learn of his betrayal in this way, however keep in mind that when one door closes another is just waiting to be opened:_

_Celiane nodded against his chest. _

_:Celiane, let's travel away from the city for a while: __he suggested. _

_Celiane shifted her head to look up at him. "Just for a little bit?"_

_:Yes:_

_"Okay."_

_Celiane pulled out of his embrace and strode over to the door. She called a servant and told her to inform Scorpius that she was going out for a couple hours with Apollonius and to expect them back later. _

_"Alright, let's go Apollonius," Celiane said with a slight smile. _

_:First how about you change and wash your hands, then we will leave:_

_Celiane glanced back down at the crusty dried blood clinging to her hands still and the speckles on her dress. _

_"Very well. I'll just be moment."_

_She pulled another dress out of the closet and brought it with her into the bathroom closing the door to give her some privacy. _

Apollonius floated over to the bedroom window and opened it all the way to let in fresh air while he gazed out upon the city and the horizon. He stood there waiting until he heard the door handle turn and Celiane reentered the room.

_:You ready?: _he asked.

Pollon flew out the window and waited just outside the building. Celiane nodded and came over to him wrapping her arms around his neck and he picked her up in his strong arms. He floated upward, then out the window before unfurling his wings.

They travelled swiftly over the city out over the surrounding mountains and desert. On and on they travelled over forests and lakes not startling any animals that decided to gaze up on them.

Apollonius decided to land at a lake just within the forests border. He angled his flight downward and landed on the edge of the lake. Pollon hovered beside him waiting for Apollonius to place Celiane on her feet once more.

Celiane looked around at the lake in wonder. On one side a stretch of the mountains through the forested area ended abruptly next to the lake in the form of a cliff forming a beautiful granite rock wall with trees attempting to grow at various places along that wall. The animals around the lake and those nearest them didn't look the slightest bit startled. There was even a bachelor herd of bucks standing at the water's edge watching for threats from the forest and above, but not giving them more than a glance.

Apollonius went to one of the older majestic bucks standing nearby and placed his hand on its muzzle.

Celiane watched with wonder as the buck accepted his presence and allowed him to stroke his muzzle with drooped contented eyes.

Apollonius turned to face her and gestured with his free hand. She slowly walked over not wishing to startle the buck and came to Apollonius side.

He took his hand away from the buck to take hers, then placed her hand where his had been. She marveled at the coarseness of the top coat that had a soft silky layer just below.

"He's gorgeous," she commented.

She gently and slowly ran her hand up to the large velvety antler rack on the bucks head.

Apollonius smiled. Celiane had been able to push aside her broken heart while they had flown through the air and appeared to be much happier with a distraction before her.

Apollonius silently agreed watching her interact with the buck, a feeling of warmth spreading through his own limbs at the sight before him.

The buck in return for the gentleness she had shown it nuzzled her cheek with its own carefully keeping his antlers away from her so he wouldn't hurt her. Celiane giggled keeping still.

Then the buck returned to the herd and they all nimbly leaped away back into the cover of the forests foliage.

_:Shall we continue?: _he asked offering his arm to her.

She slipped her arm into his. "Lead the way."

Celiane walked beside him as they traveled through the forest listening to the sounds of nature around them. Celiane pointed out bird songs that she recognized and pointed to the one making the song to show Apollonius. He would turn and admire the bird she pointed out in turn, but would always turn back to gazing upon her now happy figure.

The trees began to thin out in front of them revealing more and more of a shining blue just beyond them. Celiane turned her attention to the view in front of them as they stepped out into the open sunlight.

She released Apollonius' arm and took off running down to the shore line laughing in delight, the ocean water lapped up onto the beach reaching to cover her trail of footprints in the sand.

Apollonius watched Celiane hike up her dress and splash in the cool water as though she was a child again, but then noticed that her path down to the water was marked by footprints from her bare feet.

"This feels so nice," Celiane exclaimed happily standing still at the edge of the water and enjoying the feel of it wash around her bare feet. She gazed out at the puffy white clouds lining the horizon.

_:How strange…:_Apollonius slowly followed her footprints in the sand. _:You humans leave your footprints in the ground:_

Pollon flew ahead of him stopping to investigate each footprint indented into the soft sand, then up to Celiane blowing her dress up.

"Hey Pollon, Come on" Pollon flew up to hover above her left shoulder. Celiane turned her gaze and followed Apollonius' trail as he floated towards her leaving behind no trace that he had ever been on the sand before.

Apollonius came to a halt in front of her and stared longingly into her eyes with a fierce desire he hadn't even realized was in him till now.

_:What will you and I leave behind?:_ Apollonius asked to Celiane's surprise.

Celiane smiled in answer.

The foaming salt water rushed forward to wash away Celiane's footprints from the sand leaving it a fresh patch with no disturbance.

* * *

_Author's Note:__ Happy Thanksgiving everyone! _

_I am starting to put the rest of this story together faster and faster, so I hope you will all bear with me as I work to finish this. As you can probably tell many pieces of the story are starting to come together into the legend that we all know from Sousei no Aquarion and Aquarion Evol even thought the two seasons seem to have a lot of contradictions that I am trying to work around or put into the story. How it will end up is something that we will discover once I get through the rest of the story. _

_I hope you have enjoyed this update and please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the story! Thanks for reading!  
_


	10. Brimming Hatred

**Chapter 10**

**Brimming Hatred  
**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

* * *

_"They say forgive and forget,  
but I think that if someone's worth forgiving,  
then they are worth **remembering."**_**  
**-Anonymous

* * *

A week had passed since the Shadow Angel, Apollonius, had come to his father's castle. In that time Scorpius had come to debate whether it had been a good idea to bring a Shadow Angel back with them.

Everywhere he had gone he had managed to unwittingly stumble across Apollonius and Celiane.

Each time proved him continually right that it had been a bad idea…

_Scorpius, book in hand walked towards the door into the gardens. He pushed the light doors open and walked out into the open pathways that were lined with flowers of all shapes and sizes. The colors placed in breathtaking patterns that never seemed to end. _

_"Come on, Apollonius," an excited voice broke through the calm air. _

_He halted unsure of what the two were doing in the gardens and moved off the path and through some bushes to a small area where if he kneeled down he could stay out of sight and observe the two. Celiane walked back with Apollonius' hand clasped within her own. She moved purposefully towards the Tiger Lilies that lined the pathway ahead of them. _

_"These are the ones I was telling you about," she stopped in front of them. _

_Kneeling down beside the white flowers she gently placed her hands on either side of one and took a deep whiff of the flowers scent. _

_"Smell them," she said pulling him down beside her. _

_Apollonius leaned over the flowers and breathed in their scent as well. Pollon who had followed along much more slowly behind them smelling all the new scents and had begun to float through the flowers as though wading in the ocean and leaped out at Celiane startling her. She fell backwards, but was stopped from falling into the dirt by a strong hand holding her. Apollonius' hand had shot out and stopped her descent. _

_Celiane blushed before Apollonius offered his hand to her and helped her to her feet. _

_Celiane gazed at Apollonius which meant that the Shadow Angel was probably saying something. A moment later Celiane doubled over releasing hearty laughter. _

_Regaining her senses, she smiled at Apollonius._

_She reached out and took his hand once again and guided him down the path once more to the next area of the garden that she wished to show to the Shadow Angel unknowingly leaving a confused Scorpius in the bushes. _

There had been more instances such as that one that had Scorpius constantly thinking. He wasn't sure what to make of their interactions.

It had always been so simple to believe that Shadow Angels were evil and that was all they were. The fact that he had now had some time to get to know Apollonius he was beginning to become confused on the previous knowledge that they had always assumed to be true. Of course, that had also been before they had encountered and survived an attack from the Shadow Angels only for Celiane to make a deal with one. A deal that in his opinion had gone foul with everything that had gone wrong since.

Scorpius had known that Celiane would not take the news that her ex-lover had abandoned his love for her and been drinking himself senseless and flirting with any girl that passed in front of him. He had yet to build up the courage to tell her what had happened to the man, however she had yet to ask, so Scorpius could only hope that she was passed her feelings for the man and had forgotten him as easily as he had forgotten her.

_Of course,_ Scorpius thought_, perhaps it had become all too simple for Celiane to push all thoughts of him aside…_

_He had been on his way to the council meeting between his father the Arch Duke and his advisors when he heard counting coming from ahead. Curious, Scorpius slowed once he reached the doors and peered in to see Celiane and Apollonius' holding each other in a dance position while Celiane counted each step that they took. _

_There was no music, just Celiane's constant counting holding a beat which was sometimes interrupted by a giggle when Apollonius placed the wrong foot in the wrong place at the wrong time despite the fact that he was floating a few inches above the ground. They paused while Celiane reminded the Shadow Angel what the steps were. _

_Apollonius began the dance steps once more this time moving perfectly with her in his arms. She hadn't started to count again, so he could only assume that she deemed Apollonius had managed to catch on, now that he was moving around the room with her without a problem. Celiane in the calm steps moved closer to Apollonius and rested her head against his chest. When she closed her eyes, Scorpius felt the pain in the palm of his hands and looked down to see that his hands were clenched so tightly in fists that he was drawing blood underneath some of his finger nails. _

_He returned his gaze to the dancing pair and frowned as they were now literally dancing on air. _

_Apollonius had Celiane embraced his strong arms, her feet on top of his, while he moved them around the room dancing to an imaginary tune that only the two of them could hear. _

_Much to Scorpius' displeasure Celiane appeared to be, if possible, even more relaxed than she had been before. The hatred that he had placed in his heart for the Shadow Angels was now unleashed within him and yet he could not move to break up the sight before him. _

_Standing there for a few more minutes he turned away with disgust and continued on his way to the meeting attempting to rid himself of the image that he could see in his mind. _

"What possessed me to allow that creature to come to this castle?" Scorpius muttered angrily. "What did I ever imagine it could ever accomplish? So far it is bringing me nothing but heartache…"

_He had been making his way to his favorite secluded area in the castle for a relaxing evening of watching the sun set. This plan had been cut short by the presence of the two people he had been hoping not to see at all for the day. _

_Apollonius and Celiane were currently occupying the balcony with the best view of the setting sun. _

_The sky was already being painted with a light orange and lavender coloring. Apollonius was gazing up at the sky and didn't notice as Celiane wrapped her arm around his and lightly leaned into him. Scorpius on the other hand had noticed and once more found himself clenching his hands in fists as he gazed upon the pair. _

_He was just getting ready to announce his presence to prevent the two from getting any closer than they already were when he found himself frozen and unable to do so. Regardless of the hatred brimming in his heart, his mind rebelled against him saying that it was none of his business. _

_Stuck with his own indecisiveness he could only watch as Apollonius turned his gaze to Celiane. His hand raised to gently caress her cheek and he slowly leaned over to capture her lips with his own. _

_Scorpius' heart skipped a beat as Celiane did not hesitate to raise her arms to wrap around his neck returning the kiss and allowing the Shadow Angel to wrap his arms around her embracing her and pulling her close to him. _

_He could only watch the two as something warm and sticky trailed down his cheek. _

_Finally able to move he reached up to wipe away the tear that had escaped and turned away from the scene before him only to turn back to see the two break apart and smile at each other. _

_Scorpius slowly moved down the corridor with no destination in mind except to get as far away from that balcony as possible. _

"Well, at least she must have forgotten about, David," he said hopefully. "But what does that mean for…us?..."

Scorpius stared out his window uncertain of what to do.

"Sir! Sir!" a servant banged at his door urgently.

"What is it?" he answered not moving from the window.

The servant flung the door open. "There's a Shadow Angel attacking the border patrols! They are requesting backup!"

"Are there troops being assembled?" he asked clipping his sword to his belt.

"Yes. Your father wishes for you to lead them there. He says that he will follow with more."

"Very well. Tell my father that I will be heading out."

Scorpius left the room without another word

* * *

Scorpius reached the site of the attack and gaped at the carnage that had been wrought upon the border patrols.

Not a single man or woman was left alive. The only things still living were the scavengers picking away at the still warm bodies and a single Shadow Angel standing in the center of the carnage wielding a blade dripping fresh blood from its edge.

The fury rose within Scorpius as he took in the sight of the Shadow Angel standing calmly amidst his fallen soldiers.

"You BASTARD!" he shouted at the Angel. "You. Will. Pay!"

Scorpius leaped off the vehicle he was in and started to stalk towards him. The Shadow Angel glared at Scorpius halting him in his tracks from the hatred burning within the Shadow Angel's eyes.

_:I will only say this once, Wingless One: _The Shadow Angel stretched the wings on either side of his head to their full intimidating length. _:Return the Shadow Angel Apollonius to me:_

Scorpius smirked, "Well, I hate to break this to you Shadow Angel Scum, but he came with us of his own free will. We have done nothing to restrain him and keep him within our hands."

The Shadow Angel trembled with rage and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. _:That is a lie! Apollonius would never stay with Wingless filth of his own free will!:_

"Why would I lie about something such as that?" Scorpius asked with a taunting smile on his face. He was determined to make this work within his favor.

He started to walk toward the Shadow Angel alone while his soldiers watched the proceedings curiously and fearfully.

_:And why are you telling me this?: _

"Because I am no less happy about having Apollonius within my people's midst as you are."

He had set the bait in front of this monster. Now it was the wait to see if he would snap at it or leave it.

The Shadow Angel glared at Scorpius with a penetrating gaze.

_:Are you suggesting that we work together to remove Apollonius from your midst?:_

Scorpius lowered his voice getting the feeling that the Shadow Angel was only projecting into his mind now.

"If that will be what it takes to remove Apollonius from amongst my people," Scorpius paused thinking about this thought, "however, I will need a little more of an incentive to be agreeable to aiding a Shadow Angel."

Scorpius' prodding was not missed by the Shadow Angel. The Angel smirked _:You wish for a reward for your help in aiding me. Very well, what did you have in mind?:_

Scorpius smiled, "I wish to have a feather from you that will give me the powers of a Shadow Angel."

The Shadow Angel smirked _:Of course. You shall have this reward once Apollonius is back amongst his kin in Atlandia:_

He turned away.

"Hold on," Scorpius said. The Shadow Angel turned back to face Scorpius. "I would like to know the name of the one who I have made this deal with."

_:My name is Toma:_

"I am Scorpius," he introduced.

_:Well, Scorpius, we shall meet again on the morrow in your domain and I will retrieve what is rightfully ours:_

Scorpius gave a curt nod in acknowledgement watching as Toma flew into the sky and through a portal.

The soldiers stared wonderingly at their future leader curious as to how he had managed to send away the monster that had killed their fellow comrades in arms.

"We are heading back!"

All of the soldiers saluted and turned their vehicles around to head home. Scorpius pulled himself back into the vehicle he had arrived in and he signaled the driver to follow and leave alongside the forces.

* * *

_Author's Note: Happy Holidays and Happy New Years! _

_I know everyone has things to do and places to go, but I always love to hear your thoughts on my writing and what you think about how this story is coming out. _

_So please leave a review with your thoughts on it. I am always looking for new tips and thoughts on how to improve my writing. _

_Thanks for reading!_


	11. Falling

**Chapter 11**

**Falling**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

* * *

_"Love is like an infant child.  
You have to learn to crawl before you can walk,  
then you can run.  
If you try to walk or run too fast,  
you may fall down along the way and getting up isn't always that easy."_

-Anonymous

* * *

The next day couldn't come any slower for Scorpius. He had not slept the previous night out of anticipation that Apollonius would soon be gone forever and his path to Celiane's heart left wide open for him to reach out to and take a hold of.

He would help Celiane remember how it felt to hold true love in the palm of her hand.

He would help her to remember that her loyalties did not lie with a monster with wings that had been stained red with the blood of their people.

He would make her see that by fighting side by side against these monsters they would be victorious.

He glanced outside. The sun had almost reached the peak of its journey through the sky.

"When is that Shadow Angel going to show his face?" he growled quietly to himself.

* * *

Celiane had been awoken early that morning by the insistent Angel Dog Pollon. The dog had not given up licking her face and yipping every now in his efforts to wake her.

She smiled remembering the surprise she had felt finding Apollonius waiting outside her door and suggesting that they take a walk somewhere outside of the city. She had agreed wholeheartedly and was thrilled when Apollonius had taken her within his arms and flown out the window with her.

She had lost track of time as they soared across the heavens not caring that the wind was nipping at the bare skin on her arms and face.

They were approaching the same forest that they had walked partway through to get to the shoreline, but instead of continuing to fly over the forest, Apollonius descended to land in the middle of a large meadow filled with wildflowers of every color creating a rainbow throughout the grass.

A stream trickled through the plethora of colors along with a small wall of shrubs all competing for the best spot next to the water.

Celiane gazed about admiring the colors surrounding them speechless at the wondrous sight she was seeing.

Apollonius drifted closer to her and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

_:Celiane….: _

Celiane turned to him with a beaming smile. "Apollonius, this is gorgeous. I didn't even know this meadow was here."

Her eyes swept over the meadow once more as she attempted to memorize every detail in her mind.

_:Celiane, I brought you here because I wished to say that…: _

Apollonius hesitated, unsure of himself for the first time in so long. Celiane turned her gaze back to him.

"What's wrong, Apollonius?" she asked. The sincere worry in her voice and displayed on her body was clear to him, and yet he found that this was something he had a hard time saying.

_:Celiane, I never would have thought it possible that I would care for a Wingless One in the way that I care for you. I…I have fallen for you, Celiane. I have fallen in love with you. Your ability to give away your own life for those you love. That same ability to see past our differences and see inside my soul and your boundless kindness:_

Celiane was speechless uncertain if she had just heard what he had said and yet knowing that she had heard and understood his words.

_:My world has changed since I met you. I am no longer the same warrior that you first met that day…:_

She did not give him another chance to say anything. Celiane had her hands clasped behind his neck and stood on her tip toes claiming his lips with her own not needing to hear anything more.

Apollonius stiffened in surprise, then relaxed into her embrace leaning down just a bit so she wasn't straining to reach him.

When they broke apart Celiane gazed into his eyes with an open longing.

"What is it about men and not just spitting it out?" she questioned with a slight teasing tone to her voice.

Apollonius grinned_ :I would not be able to tell you:_

Celiane smiled and moved forward for another kiss.

A cry of anger stopped her and she both turned to look around confused. No one was there besides themselves and Pollon who was trying to catch the small fish in the stream.

Apollonius however had recognized the sound of the voice and turned his gaze skyward to find Toma hovering in the air. The anger and disbelief evident upon the Shadow Angel's face worried Apollonius.

_:How dare you! You worthless Wingless One!: _

Toma was beside them in an instant roughly pushing Celiane away from Apollonius who looked just as shocked as she was.

Celiane remained sitting amongst the flowers unable to bring herself to push herself to her feet.

_:Toma, please settle down: _Apollonius pleaded placing his hand on his friends shoulder.

_:The Wingless One has seduced you, Apollonius!: _

Toma turned on Celiane with a murderous gleam in his eyes. Celiane looked to Apollonius alarmed.

"I haven't seduced anyone!" she protested.

Toma glared at her. _:I should have killed you the first time I laid eyes upon you:_

_:Toma!: _Apollonius grabbed his arm and yanked Toma around to face him. _:She has done no such wrong!:_

_:Return to Atlandia with me, Apollonius. Return and see through the lies the Wingless Ones have fed you: _Toma pleaded.

Apollonius glanced back at Celiane with an apologetic expression.

_:Toma…I have not been seduced by or lied to by anyone:_

_:NO! Apollonius, you must return with me!: _Toma pleaded. _:Please…Return with me…:_

Apollonius glanced between the two uncertainly. Celiane stood and took a step forward reaching towards him pleading with Apollonius with her eyes.

Toma whirled around and sent her a glare that promised her death should she say or do anything.

Celiane halted and lowered her arm hesitant to say anything and praying that she wouldn't cause the two friends to fight because of their difference in opinion.

Toma turned back to Apollonius pleading silently.

Apollonius hung his head, then looked up at Toma. _:I will return. However, I will make no further promises:_

Toma visibly relaxed and gently took Apollonius' arm to guide him to enter a portal that appeared beside them. Celiane watched as the two Shadow Angel's leave.

_:I will be back in three days: _Apollonius promised her with a glance over his shoulder at her.

Celiane nodded and held onto that promise that he left her with suppressing the tears that threatened to spill over.

Pollon nuzzled her face before following the Shadow Angels through the portal.

* * *

Scorpius entered Celiane's room after the third unanswered knock. He sighed when the first thing he saw was an open window.

"Apollonius has taken her out somewhere…"

Annoyed at this new predicament Scorpius frowned and stormed out of the room not bothering to pull the door closed behind him.

* * *

Celiane arrived at the gates to the city after an hour and a half of walking. She was lucky that they hadn't gone any farther or she would have had to deal with how to get food without a weapon and how to protect herself from the wild animals around. Of course she didn't escape from the luxury of getting even one blister. Both her heals had fresh blisters. One had already popped, the other was extremely painful and still growing.

She passed beneath the gates into the city and continued on her way at a steady pace. The first thing she was going to do was clean up these two blisters. After that….well she didn't really know what she would be doing after that.

She certainly couldn't do anything except wait for Apollonius to return as he had promised.

* * *

_Author's Note: Well I am doing well with the time that I have at the moment. However that time may not continue to last as I will be starting classes again next week. _

_I hope you have all had Happy Holidays and especially a Happy New Year. _

_Please review and leave your thoughts and opinions! __:)_


	12. Wings

**Chapter 12**

**Wings**

"Regular Talking"  
_:Telepathic:  
Flashback_

* * *

_"Sometimes you have to be apart from people you love,  
but that doesn't make you love them any less.  
Sometimes you love them more."_

_-The Last Song_

* * *

The promised few days had turned into a week and Celiane was becoming more and more anxious with Apollonius' continued absence.

Scorpius had been watching her from the shadows that entire week watching and waiting for her to give up on the Shadow Angel that he had gradually begun to despise.

He knew that Celiane would come to him and beg him to help her go to Atlandia and find out what was preventing Apollonius from returning. However, he was bound and determined to not give in and show her the way to the Shadow Angel City.

The only reason he would return to that place would be for the entire annihilation of the race of angels that plagued human kind.

Scorpius was currently in the gardens below Celiane's window. He could see her sitting in a chair by the window side staring out onto the horizon. Most likely there was an untouched tray of food resting on a small table at her side.

He sighed, she hadn't touched any food since the day before and this was most likely about when she would try to find him.

He glanced back up at the window to discover that Celiane was gone and most likely looking for him.

Pattering feet approached him from the direction of the garden door that led back into the castle.

"My Lord Scorpius," the servant said with a bow.

Scorpius gave a small nod for him to say what he must without turning to face him.

"The Lady Celiane wishes to see you," he reported.

Scorpius nodded, "Where is she?"

"Your study, My Lord."

"Thank you," Scorpius dismissed and turned to the castle.

He walked with a brisk walk down the paths his thoughts occupied only by how he would subdue Celiane's stubborn and sometimes impulsive nature. If he was going to have any chance at convincing her that all was well, then now would be the only time before she did something reckless.

"Scorpius!"

"I see you were in such a hurry you couldn't wait for me to get to the study," he teased.

Celiane narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know damn well why I'm anxious!"

Scorpius raised his hands, sensing the danger in taking the teasing too far with her right now.

"I'm sorry, Celiane," he apologized. "I meant no offense."

Celiane's glare didn't let up even as she started to speak. "He hasn't come back and he promised he would 2 days ago. I'm worried that something has happened. That Toma or Johannes or someone has prevented him from returning. We need to go after him, Scorpius. He's our friend and an important ally in this war."

"Celiane…" Scorpius looked down pretending to hesitate. "I'm not sure that he is going to come back. I've had a feeling that he only came to spy on us. I think….I think he was just messing around with our emotions and has now shown his true colors. The next time we see him it may be that he will be with the enemy once more."

He looked back up and felt his head whip to the side with a smack. He looked back an astonished look adorning his face and Celiane's back moving away from him.

"Celi…Celiane!" he recovered his wits and raced after her. "Celiane! Think about this for a moment! Apollonius is gone! He is one of them! He's a Shadow Angel!"

Celiane's retreating figure halted. Scorpius stopped just out of arms reach anticipating the rage she was going to rain down upon him.

"I am going, Scorpius," she snarled, "Whether you like it or not."

She continued down the hall and he didn't follow. There was no reason. He had made the mistake of pushing her too far too quickly and not being tactful about it. These were the consequences which he would have to deal with and try to work around.

* * *

Celiane strode into her room slamming the door behind her and latching the lock. She slipped out of her dress and pulled on the tight fitting leather armor that she had always worn when going into battle.

A tear slid down her cheek as she reached over and grabbed her sword. She held the sword in her hand and gazed down at it.

It was the same sword that Apollonius had taught her swordplay with and given to her as a gift. It was now to be the same sword that she would use to fight her way into Atlandia and find out what had become of her beloved.

Clipping the sheath to her back and grabbed her spear from the side of the door. She strode out with murderous look in her eyes, daring anyone to stand in her way as she made it to the staging grounds. She strode up to the stand where the keys for the vehicles were kept and pulled one off. She briefly glanced at the number on the tag clipped to the key. She went straight to the vehicle it was keyed to. She placed the spear in the back seat and slid into the driver's seat.

She slipped the key into the ignition and started the jeep before one of the soldiers on duty noticed what she was doing and started shouting at her to get out of the vehicle. She ignores him and revs the engine once before pulling her foot off the brake. The vehicle's tires squealed in protest as it struggled to get a grip on the ground before moving away and thoroughly drowning out the soldier's protesting shouts.

The shouts were joined by others, but it was far too late as she was already headed out of the gates and towards the open area outside the city walls visible just beyond the opening of the tunnel she was in.

* * *

"My Lord Scorpius," the soldiers all saluted.

"What happened?" Scorpius asked.

The soldier closest stepped forward and responded. "The Lady Celiane has taken one of the jeeps, Sir. Should we follow her?"

Scorpius stared after Celiane. "Gather as many men as you can and we will follow her. Maybe we can still stop her before she gets herself killed."

The soldier saluted with a sharp "Yes, Sir."

* * *

After several hours of driving the jeep over rugged terrain and navigating towards Atlandia via memory she had finally reached the coliseum ruins where Scorpius found her and Apollonius sparring. A couple hours of jogging from there and she had made it to Atlandia without being seen.

Being inside the city was very risky. Because the Shadow Angels' have the ability to sense those who are near which makes it extremely difficult to go about unnoticed, especially if the one sneaking around happens to be human.

Celiane looked around a corner hoping that the path towards Apollonius' chambers would be clear.

It was, and she took her chance and lightly jogged down the hall remaining as quiet as possible. She reached the door and quietly turned the handle. She peered inside her eyes flicking through the room noting that it looked no different than it had the day she had left.

"Apollonius?" she called into the room quietly. She waited for an answer but received nothing. Backing out and closing the door silently behind her she moved back down the hall towards the next place, which would be a much more risky venture than she had originally planned for.

She proceeded to navigate the winding corridors until she arrived in the last hallway leading to the doors into the room she believed she needed to be.

Celiane steadily creeped forward berating herself for every small sound she could hear herself make.

_:Well well well, it appears that Apollonius' little pet is attached to her master: _a voice mocked her.

She spun around to find a purple insect-like Shadow Angel hovering behind her.

"Moroha," she gasped.

_:I'd be happy to return you to your master, Wingless One: _

The Shadow Angel moved toward her threateningly. She flipped the spear over in her hand and held it at the ready to launch at him.

Moroha on the other hand had another idea. He disappeared from sight to appear directly behind her. With a strong grip on her wrist he squeezed until her hand muscles involuntarily released the spear within her grip and it clattered to the floor with a gasp issuing from her mouth. His other hand reached forward to unsheathe her sword and held it just beyond her reach.

_:Come Wingless One. Apollonius awaits:_

Moroha twisted her right arm behind her back and roughly yanked her around to face the door once more. He pushed her forward keeping a firm grip on her arm. He opened the door and pushed her through releasing the grip he had on her. He closed the door before pulling her back up and pushing her forward once more. Celiane caught herself that time and managed to only stumble forward.

She walked forward not attempting to resist since she knew that he was taking her to where she needed to be, just not armed like she had originally planned.

She could hear the voices of the Shadow Angels ahead, but not what they were saying. Those speaking were only speaking to those within the vicinity and nowhere beyond, so she could only get a small sliver of murmurs.

When they rounded the bend she stopped at the sight before her. Moroha, impatient as ever, shoved her forward without warning and she fell to the ground where she lay sprawled as she felt the point of a blade in the small of her back warning her not to stand.

She looked up at what she had seen before and was just as appalled.

Her beloved Apollonius was pinned to the stone behind him. His wings spread just behind his arms and both had two throwing stars each pinned neatly through, holding him in place. She heard a small yip nearby and saw Pollon hovering next to Shilha's brother. She turned her gaze back to Apollonius and realized that he was shocked to see her there and looked almost completely downtrodden by that very fact.

Something wet traveled down her cheek. With a start she realized that she was crying and quietly tried to contain them in order to not show weakness in front of the Shadow Angel's. Instead she tried to catch Apollonius' gaze and give him all the support she possibly could.

_:Shall I kill the Wingless One?: _Moroha asked the others.

Toma glanced down at her with disgust on his face, then back to Apollonius.

_:Apollonius, if I spare the wingless one,: _Apollonius finally looked up hearing Toma's words and despairing at the futility_ :will you return to me?:_ Toma asked sadly.

Apollonius gasped, worry etched onto his face and he strained wordlessly against the weapons holding him in place.

Toma waited for an answer, while silently observing Apollonius' reaction.

_:Well?:_ he asked again quietly.

Apollonius grimaced and refused to answer. He already knew the options before him even before Toma had spoken.

"I won't beg for my life from a Shadow Angel!" Celiane shouted defiantly from where she lay, determined to fight, but unable to rise from the ground where she lay at the Shadow Angel Moroha's mercy.

The bug-like angels gaze swept back down to her.

_:You filthy Wingless One. How dare you speak when you are not told to!:_

He pulled back his arm not holding the blade at her back and slices forward with the intention to kill her.

Apollonius opened his mouth in a wordless cry as he pulled himself free from the throwing stars holding his arms and wings in place. The only sound to be heard through the chamber is the tearing of flesh as he ripped himself free of his wings. He rushes forward to block the strike with his right forearm bearing only a grimace of pain.

Toma stares in shocked horror at the beautiful white wings left upon the statue with blood dripping from where the joints once were. The stunned angel turns his gaze to Apollonius.

Now, with the knowledge that Apollonius would never return to him, did he fuel himself with anger and hate.

In his outrage, Toma cried out with anguish and flung his sword around.

_:You love her that much?!:_ he demanded to know as he swung his blade at Apollonius.

Apollonius pushed Moroha's hand from his arm and caught Tomas blade between his hands. He flung it aside. Apollonius crouched over Celiane protectively glaring at the Shadow Angels all around them.

No one moved for several minutes for shock of seeing a Shadow Angel willingly give up his wings.

_:You will not hurt her, Toma: _Apollonius stated warningly.

Toma backed away shaking his head in disbelief.

The Shadow Angel turned his gaze upon Celiane. _:YOU! This is all your fault!:_

Toma charged forward once more only to be stopped when Apollonius stood in his way blocking Celiane from sight.

"Apollonius," Celiane whispered. She had risen, from where she had been lying, into a crouch.

Apollonius stood in place waiting for Toma to back off.

_:Toma, please. I do not wish to fight with you: _Apollonius pleaded.

Toma glared past Apollonius at Celiane.

_:I will not allow her to steal you from me!: _

Toma lunged past Apollonius his gaze intent upon. The ringing of steel clashing upon steel halted him in his tracks.

They all turned to look down the path; the ringing and clashing coming closer and closer.

"Celiane! Apollonius!" Scorpius shouted over the fray coming closer to the gathered group.

He was intercepted by a Shadow Angel and pushed away. Apollonius reached around and pulled Celiane into his arms.

He flew away from Toma and the other Shadow Angels. He flew to just above Scorpius who glanced up at them for a moment before waving at them to get out of Atlandia.

Apollonius flew out toward where Scorpius and his father's men were pouring in from. He flew towards a large group of soldiers standing at the ready to aid those inside should the need arise. He landed next to the group and gently placed Celiane on her feet.

Celiane immediately shouted at the group to get a medic over to him. The soldiers shifted nervously uncertain of what to do. They could tell Apollonius was a Shadow Angel; however he didn't have the customary wings.

Celiane glared at the soldiers who had only shifted nervously in response to her demand. She rolled her eyes before turning to the nearest soldier.

"You," she pointed at him and ordered, "Go get a medic. If you don't feel you can do that, then at least bring me fresh bandages."

The soldier nodded and ran off.

Celiane turned back to Apollonius and wrapped her arms around him to give a gentle hug.

_:Celiane, why did you come?:_

"You took too long to come back, so I decided to come to you myself and find out why," she said with a sad smile which quickly turned into a grimace. "I'm sorry it turned out like this."

Apollonius placed his hand under her chin and raised it to look into her eyes.

_:I do not blame you, Celiane: _Apollonius smiled_ :Your concern is very much appreciated: _

Celiane smiled once more in return and gently wrapped her arms around him comforting herself with his presence.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry about the lateness everyone! I'm in college which doesn't allow for very much time to write. However I have managed to squeeze out another chapter for you all. Hope you enjoyed it and please review_


	13. Vengeance

**Chapter 13**

**Vengeance**

"Regular Talking"_  
__:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

* * *

_"I look up into his eyes,  
find so much love for me there  
I know I'll never be okay without him in my life.  
My eyes beg him to kiss me.  
And when he does,  
it's like rain on a drought-starved desert."_

-Anonymous

* * *

It had been several months since Celiane went after Apollonius forcing Scorpius to follow after with his father's army.

Scorpius had seen a change in the relationship between Apollonius and Celiane since that day.

When Scorpius had managed to follow Celiane outside he only saw the two embracing each other while a medic raced over and started to patch the Shadow Angel's back and arm. Since then, Scorpius' feelings for Celiane had not eased, but had continued to increase.

However, he knew that his attempts to capture Celiane's heart would be futile while Apollonius was still in the picture. For the time being hehad been drawn away from his personal feelings and onto other more pressing concerns that affected all of his people.

In the passing five months, Scorpius' father had fallen ill. The Duke was steadily leaving more and more of the running of the city to him. Scorpius had ,to his dismay, no time to be distracted by his love for Celiane.

Many problems continued to stack up one on top of the other and Scorpius was no closer to freeing Celiane's heart from Apollonius' grasp.

* * *

Scorpius didn't say a word as a servant came in with another stack of papers that he placed on the desk in front of him. The Duke's son looked up and sighed. More paperwork meant that more problems were arising.

"What's the latest problem now?" Scorpius asked with a sigh.

The servant grimaced.

"Out with it," he ordered.

Nodding grimly, obviously unhappy to be the one to bear the bad news, the servant gave the latest report. "Well the main issue now is that the newly planted crops appear to be withering away in the heat and drought."

Scorpius swore

Flinging the pen in his hand onto the desk. He pushed himself out of his chair and strode to his office window which overlooked the city and some of the land surrounding it.

"How much has survived?"

"Less than…" the servant hesitated, "a quarter of what we normally have."

Scorpius swore once more and waved dismissively at the servant. The servant bowed and turned to leave, but heard the parting words that Scorpius muttered before he closed the door.

"That means we won't last through the winter," Scorpius muttered.

Hours later the servant returned with another stack of paperwork and a platter with hot water and tea.

He knocked to make his presence known before pushing the door open. The servant found the Duke's son standing with his arms folded in front of his chest in the same spot he had left him earlier.

"Sir," he said politely.

"Place it all on the desk," Scorpius ordered without turning to look.

"Yes sir."

The servant placed the platter of paperwork and tea down on the desk.

"Is there anything else you will need, Sir?"

"Yes, send for Apollonius to meet me here in a half hour.

"Yes sir."

The servant bowed before leaving the room to go track down the resident Shadow Angel.

* * *

Half an hour later fund Apollonius and Scorpius walking through the crops that had withered and blackened in the span of a week.

The soil around Apollonius and Scorpius was scorched dry. There was no water left to moisten the earth or provide the blackened plants with the much needed nutrition.

Apollonius was solemnly kneeling down staring at the black and dry plant before him confused.

_:Why? Scorpius, why has it come to this?:_

"I don't know," Scorpius replied. "We just planted the crops."

_:Planting crops? Why?: _Apollonius was angered at the thought _: Is the Earth not bountiful enough to nurture you?:_

"It's bounty is not guaranteed," Scorpius protested staring at Apollonius' back and only recently healed wing stubs. "That's why we must plant them to prepare for droughts."

_:Just like those footprints. Humans engrave their footprints into the tide. Likewise, they engrave their anxieties into the future in order to make clear in the present the uncertain future:_ a tear trailed from his eye down to his chin _:That's why the Earth withers…:_ The tear fell from Apollonius' chin onto the plant before him trailing down the leaf to fall into the dry earth below.

The sky above slowly darkened with clouds and Scorpius turned at the sound of thunder clapping above their heads. The first few drops of rain landing on his face as he stared at the first sight of falling rain in over 3 months.

Apollonius did not move as the rain fell from a gentle splatter to pouring down all around. Scorpius gasps with a smile appearing on his lips as he realizes what he had just witnessed.

"Is this the Shadow Angels' …no…This _is_ the Angels' power, right?" Scorpius asks Apollonius excitedly.

_:It's only a coincidence: _Apollonius whispered.

"There are many other places which also need rain," Scorpius looked around continuing to speak and not hearing Apollonius. "For the sake of everyone, please use your power!"

Apollonius rose angrily with his hands clutched in tight fists.

Apollonius repeated more firmly _:I said it's only a coincidence:_

The fallen Shadow Angel slowly flew away in the opposite direction from Scorpius who was desperate to convince Apollonius to help them.

Scorpius watched Apollonius fly away desperation filling his very being. He reached out towards the one he believed could save them all.

"Please wait! Use that power to help us!" he pleaded and ran forward reaching out as though to grab him and stop him from leaving. "Apollonius!" Scorpius cried. He slipped on the in the slippery mud and face planted in the wet earth.

Apollonius ignored him. Not bothering to acknowledge his friend who wallowed in the mud behind him.

The rain beat down around them both almost deafening Scorpius.

"Why?"

Scorpius pushed himself out of the mud staring after his friend hoping to get a response. "Why are you so reluctant to use that power to help us? If humanity had that power, then the Earth _would_ _be_ more bountiful!" He reached out towards the fallen Shadow Angel, "Please, Apollonius, grant me the power of the wings!"

Apollonius came to a halt finally acknowledging Scorpius.

_:Humans and Angels are not distinguished by whether or not they have wings:_

Scorpius dropped his hand to the ground and his head to his chest barely holding back the sorrow he felt. Sorrow that he was unable to convince Apollonius to share his power with his people while Apollonius continued onward without a backward glance.

* * *

Toma watched through the viewing globe as the wingless ones mourned the loss of their crops while Otoha cautiously approached him from behind and scowled in disgust.

_:The wingless ones are such _disgusting_ Creatures:_

Toma didn't reply, but turned to greet her with a nod before turning back to the globe.

_:Lord Toma, what are your plans to exact your vengeance on the wingless one who stole Apollonius from us?:_

Toma pivoted around to face Otoha. _:The wingless ones will suffer through the loss of their food supply and eventually they will come to face us in the hopes that our defeat will return their world to how it once was and meet their demise. Then, and only then, will my love, Apollonius, be avenged:_

Otoha smiled gleefully as Toma swept past her away from the viewing globe.

* * *

Scorpius hadn't moved from where Apollonius had left him. The rain had swept away the withered skeletons of the crops from around him leaving a moist and fertile earth that would soon replace the crops that had been lost.

Of course the only way that it had been possible was through Apollonius' help which, it appeared, he would not willingly admit.

"This power," Scorpius muttered staring at the earth around him. "Could save my people…Why? Why won't you help us, Apollonius? Why won't you grant us the power of your wings?"

_:You want the power of the wings?: _

Scorpius whirled to his feet and wildly turned looking for the source of the voice.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!"

_:I've seen inside your heart:_

Scorpius continued to turn wildly searching for the owner of the voice as fear crept into his mind.

_:I can give you the power you need: _

"Who are you?" Scorpius backed away fearfully from the direction that sounded as though the voice was coming from.

_:I am a supporter who wishes to aid you in your war:_

"WHY!" Scorpius shouted, "You speak in the same fashion as if you are one of _them, w_hy would you want to help us!?"

_:I wish to give you aid as I have been wronged by my brethren and like Apollonius I have paid a very dear cost: _

Scorpius silently contemplated the words spoken to him.

Finally after a few minutes Scorpius answered, "I accept your offer."

* * *

Apollonius had noticed changes in his abilities ever since he had returned to the city of human's. There were times that he could not converse with the wildlife inside or outside the city. He had less control over the weather and the nature around him.

There were other changes he had begun to notice as well. There were times that he found himself unable to hover over the ground and he had actually touched the stone floor of his room. Needless to say the touch of the floor was a disturbing sensation to him when he had never had need to touch the earth itself with his ability to fly over it.

He had not brought his loss of his abilities to the attention of Celiane or Scorpius as he did not wish to worry them any further than they were about his brethren who were continuing to attack his friend and lover's people.

The sudden drought that Scorpius had shown him was cause for concern. As soon as he had seen the plants withered and black he had known the source for what it was. And though he had brought the rains he had not meant to bring such a downpour as that which had come.

Scorpius had noticed that storm's coming as it had come in seconds. Scorpius had begged him to give him the power of the wings and indeed it certainly is the power of the wings. An abilitie of his which was slowly disappearing with the loss of his wings. The few tufts of feathers that remained in his back were all that were keeping his few remaining abilities under his command, but who knew for how long.

He looked out over the horizon longingly. It had been so long since had flown across the sky, however he feared that should he lose all control over his ability to stay in the air that he would plummet to the earth and leave his love, Celiane, with nothing but sadness and pain. Of course with the rate that he was losing abilities that may happen if the loss of his wings meant he could and would die a mortal death.

He turned from the window and headed out of his room to find Scorpius and request a favor from him.

An hour later, he found Scorpius within his office looking over more paperwork.

_:Scorpius: _he greeted.

"Hello, Apollonius," Scorpius greeted in return. He had a slightly annoyed tone that made Apollonius realize that he wasn't entirely forgiven for the whole rain incident.

_:I would like to be able to help you and your people, however to do that I will need a large area that I can work in. Can you give me one of the…what did you call them…gar..garages?:_

Scorpius looked up with a confused look on his face.

"Why do you need a garage?"

_:It's not something I can explain in words, however I can promise you that I will help you protect yourselves against my brethren who have been wrongfully taking your people…I wish to make amends with humanity as a whole by providing this gift:_

Scorpius nodded, "Very well. I will lend you a garage. How long will you require it?"

_:I believe I will be finished two days from now:_

Scorpius pulled a blank piece of paper from a drawer and began writing a note on it. At the end he signed it and put away his pen.

"Give this to one of the guards outside this room and they will take you to a garage that can be cleared within the hour."

Apollonius nodded. _:Thank you, Scorpius:_

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, however I am very close to the chapters that I wrote all the way till the end. However There will still be a few more chapters till that point, but we are almost there. Thank you everyone for being so patient and waiting until I got into summer vacation to continue writing. _

_On that note, if there is another story you would like me to work on next after I finish this one please go to my profile and vote for the story you would like me to work on next. The poll will be taken down anywhere between June 1-June 15, so please be sure to vote as soon as possible.  
_


	14. Defying Gravity

**Chapter 14**

**Defying Gravity**

"Regular Talking"_  
__:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

___Author's Note: Hi readers. If you get another notification that I updated this chapter and have already read the chapter, don't worry about it. I had a mistake in some facts that I had which was just corrected. It does not affect the story at all. _

___For those who are just reading this chapter. Welcome and please enjoy the story. _

* * *

_"When you feel alone, just look at the spaces between your fingers, _

_remember that in those spaces you can see my fingers locked with yours forever."_

-Anonymous

* * *

No one saw Apollonius for the next two days while he locked himself within the garage. However those who passed by the garage swore that they heard strange singing that was both mystical and beautiful, but also contained a sense of danger and power that made them want to run as far from where they stood as possible.

When news reached Celiane of where Apollonius was she had visited Scorpius to find out what Apollonius was doing locked up in the garage. Scorpius could only answer her with a shake of his head and say he honestly had no idea what Apollonius was doing in the garage.

Those two days were finally up and Scorpius' curiosity was driving him up the wall waiting to find out what the Shadow Angel had been doing all this time behind the locked doors.

So now he waited along with Celiane until Apollonius opened the doors. They both jumped as the lock clicked open and Apollonius pushed the door open.

_:I am sure from what I know of humans that you are curious as to what I have been working on: _Apollonius smiled knowingly at his friend and lover.

Celiane smiled in return. "We have been eagerly waiting to see what you have been doing."

_:Well then, I won't keep you standing here in anticipation any longer: _

Apollonius moved aside allowing them entrance into the room. Celiane entered first and looked around the garage curiously. She spotted three machines. They looked like they were somewhat triangular in shape and each was a different color.

Scorpius stood beside her gazing upon the machines curiously.

Scorpius turned to Apollonius. "Apollonius, what are these?"

_:On the left is Green Vector Luna. On the right is Blue Vector Mars. The one in the middle is Red Vector Sol. These three vectors can combine to create your best weapon to fighting the Shadow Angel's and achieving victory over them. The name of for these three vectors combined is Aquarion: _

"Aquarion…" Celiane muttered under her breath. "So it's named for synthesis in the spirit?"

_:Close, but not exactly. It is named for the synthesis of three spirits which will hold together the Aquarion formation that is required to fight the…Others: _

"How do they work? I don't see wheels on them to allow them to be driven anywhere," Scorpius commented.

Apollonius chuckled and took them both by the hand. He flew them up on top of Vector Sol . As they landed a hole appeared in the top of the vector just big enough for someone to slide into the machine.

Apollonius lowered himself down inside of the machine then looked back up.

_:Lower yourself down and I'll help you the rest of the way:_

Celiane obliged and lowered herself inside and was helped down with Apollonius' hands holding her at the waist. Once Celiane was on her feet again Scorpius dropped down in front of the two and moved beside Celiane behind the chair.

Celiane was looking around at the entire interior of the machine curiously.

_:Hold onto the back of the chair:_

Apollonius sat down in the chair and reached forward to take hold of the controls. The vector whirred to life surprising the two humans when the interior of the machine turned into an entire screen that showed everything around them.

Scorpius stared at the screen around them in amazement. "What the…"

Apollonius pressed another button and they could feel the vector rise into the air. It wobbled for a few seconds before they turned to the door that led outside that was open and they crept forward until they were through the doorway. Once outside Apollonius thrust the controls forward and they shot into the sky. Celiane had whooped in excitement when she realized they were flying. Scorpius who had never flown before yelped in fear before he realized that the vector wouldn't come crashing back down to the earth below them.

"Are we…..Are we flying?" Scorpius asked even though the answer was obvious.

_:Yes:_

"When will you teach us how to work these machines?" Celiane asked.

Apollonius looked back at his lover. _:We can start once we get back if you wish:_

* * *

Scorpius watched as Vectors Sol and Luna each took off into the sky for the third of training.

Scorpius had many duties on his hands that required him to work most of the day, so he and Apollonius had worked it out that he would train in the evenings and when both Celiane and Scorpius were ready they would try merging the vectors into one.

There had been a few questions that had bothered Scorpius since he had seen the vectors were what was fueling them? How could they continue to use these machines that defied gravity if the fuel source was a low one? Was the fuel source a low source at all? Apollonius had answered all these questions the other day when Scorpius had asked.

_"Apollonius, what is powering the vectors?" Scorpius asked as Apollonius descended from Vector Sol._

_:The only fuel source the vectors have is my power combined with the elemental power inside of you, Celiane, and myself:_

_"Elemental power?"_

_:Yes, I have noticed that you and Celiane and a select few others in this city have the ability to draw upon the elements for power without even realizing it. When you are flying the vectors these elements are used by the machine to identify who is flying and that is how your actions communicate so well through the vectors:_

_"So we will never have to refuel the vectors then. Apollonius you are brilliant!" Scorpius exclaimed._

_:I only wished to help a friend in need. I feel that this war between Shadow Angels and Humans has gone on long enough. Aquarion is my atonement to the Human race:_

_"You have the gratitude of everyone in this city for this powerful gift that will finally allow us to fight back against the Shadow Angels in Atlandia on equal footing."_

_Scorpius looked away for a moment hesitating to say anything. _

_:Is something on your mind?: Apollonius asked._

_Scorpius couldn't help thinking to himself, _Yes, Someone offered to give me the power of the wings, but has not said what they want in return or how they are to give this power to me.

_"Not at all, My friend," Scorpius replied with a smile._

It truly was disconcerting to Scorpius that the mysterious voice that had spoken to him only a week ago hadn't bothered to speak with him again. He looked down at the document in front of him that he was supposed to be reading and frowned.

"We have power, but is it enough?" he asked quietly. "Is it enough to use the power of one angel against many? I….no….we need more power if we are to win this war once and for all. I cannot rely on Apollonius only. The people are looking to me for their strength and I must be able to deliver to them that strength."

* * *

Another week of training passed before Apollonius deemed the two of them efficient enough to try to merge into Aquarion.

The three were in the air just outside the city walls.

_:Are you both ready?: _Apollonius asked.

Scorpius gave a sharp nod and once he saw that Celiane had given the same answer he began the sequence.

"Merge One!" he shouted.

Celiane followed his vector to come into line with his. She shouted, "Merge Two!"

Apollonius smiled. _:Genesis! Go Aquarion!:_

Apollonius flew straight between the two humans and the three vectors were immediately connected in a dazzling triangle of light that pulled them together. Vector Mars turning into the legs, Vector Sol making up the torso, arms, and arms, and Vector Luna formed two angelic wings.

Scorpius and Celiane both spasmed with pleasure at the feelings of ecstasy flowing through them as Apollonius joined them in the merge.

The merge was complete and they each explored the new feeling of being mentally a part of Aquarion while physically they were in the cockpits.

"WE DID IT!" Celiane shouted in glee to the others.

_:Yes we did: _Apollonius replied.

Scorpius released a cry of triumph. "We did! And now we are ready to take on the Shadow Angel's once and for all. We can ….end this war," Scorpius' voice had trailed off into a whisper at the sheer novelty of living in peace after having suffered at the hands of the Shadow Angel's for so long.

Celiane appeared in spirit next to Apollonius and she threw her arms around the former Shadow Angel.

"Thank you Apollonius. Thank you so much…"

A tear slid down her cheek. Apollonius turned to face her alarmed by the tear.

_:Celiane? Is everything alright?:_

Celiane blinked, startled by the question. She smiled lovingly at him and answered, "Everything is perfect Apollonius." She pointed at the tears on her face, "These are tears of joy. The first tears of joy that I've had in a really long time."

Apollonius swiped his thumb across her cheek to remove the tear. He then kissed her in the same spot he had removed the tear.

_:I'm glad I can make you so happy:_

While the other two celebrated together, Scorpius sat alone in his cockpit daydreaming about the future.

* * *

_Author's Note: Hi Readers! I apologize for the late post, however I have good news. There is only one more chapter that I still need to write until I can post the last two chapters of this story and then you will then have the complete Zanzibar1 Rendition of what happened to Celiane, Apollonius, Scorpius, Scorpius, and Toma._

_Please review and let me know what you think! I love to hear your opinions. The good and the bad. _


	15. All is Hell that Ends Well

**Chapter 15**

**All is Hell That Ends Well**

"Regular Talking"_  
__:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

* * *

_"It is as a soldier that you make love and as a lover that you make war"_

- Antoine de Saint

* * *

Scorpius gazed around at his council. He had informed the council of their intention to attack and if he were not to return then Celiane would take over. In the event that Celiane did not return then the Council would decide on a candidate worthy of taking over leadership. At the moment the Council was protesting his involvement in the battle.

"But Sir!" his first advisor shouted over the commotion. "If neither you nor Celiane were to return there would not be anyone else with the education or the knowledge to become the Arch Duke in your place!"

Scorpius closed his eyes with a sigh. "That would be why you would be in charge of finding such an individual or at least one who is willing to learn how to lead in order to take over in my stead."

"But…why can't you just remain here and let someone go in your place?"

The other Council members all nodded in agreement.

Scorpius sighed in frustration, "Because there is no one else who knows how to work Vector Mars in place of me. Not to mention there are only a select few who would be able to pilot it in the first place due to some biological feature that apparently only Celiane and I for sure have."

This information appeared to give the advisors food for their brain to chew on while he finally got a rest from the endless of shouting that had been issued from all of their mouths after he told them of his plans.

"And if that is everything. I'll be leaving now."

Scorpius stood turning away from them. When the protests were about to begin anew he whipped around sending a glare at each and every one of them silencing whatever they had been about to say. Scorpius strode from the room before any of them could recover long enough to say anything else.

* * *

_:Scorpius. You ready to fly?:_ Apollonius asked from his perch atop of the Vector Sol.

Scorpius grinned up at him, "I'm most certainly ready to finish this war and put an end to my people's suffering."

Vector Luna fired up with energy and lifted into the air to hover in front of the two men.

"Well if you are ready, then let's get going you slow pokes!" Celiane's voice issued from the machine.

Scorpius and Apollonius exchanged a glance of amusement before each of them entered their vectors.

Celiane raced ahead into the clouds making the two men have to push their vectors to the max to catch up and reach her just as she broke the atmosphere of the planet and started to float through space.

She gazed around with wonder. "It never ceases to amaze me," she commented.

Vectors Sol and Mars came up behind her and floated alongside her for a moment as they all gathered themselves for the battle they were about to fly into.

_:Are you both ready?: _Apollonius asked.

"Yes," the two humans answered in unison.

As one the three of them took up the controls to their vectors once more and directed them towards Atlandia and took off.

"It's time to take our revenge and the power of the wings," Scorpius muttered under his breath to himself.

* * *

_:Toma!: _

Toma stepped out from behind the Tree of Life. _:What is it Otoha?:_

_:The Wingless Ones are coming to attack The elder Johannes says we must go out to defend Atlandia from their presence:_ Otoha informed him.

_:Very well. Have you gathered the lesser Angels?:_

_:Yes:_

_E :Good, send them out in the Cherubims: _he ordered.

_:Of course Toma:_

Toma ignored the female angel as she left to do as he had ordered and gazed forlornly up at the sky.

_:Whatever you are up to Wingless Ones. It will not work. I can promise you that:_

* * *

The three vectors approached Atlandia as a great cloud ascended into the sky from all around the Shadow Angel's haven.

_:Cherubim!: Apollonius shouted in warning. _

Scorpius and Celiane looked to each other through the video links and both nodded.

"Merge One!" Celiane shouted.

"Merge Two!" Scorpius shouted in response.

_:Go! Aquarion!: _Apollonius shouted as he pulled the hand controllers apart to begin the merge of the three vectors.

The three vectors came together instantly forming the mechanical angel Aquarion in a burst of light.

They stand there for a moment as they allow the pleasure of the merge to sift through their bodies before they are off only to be stopped by a shout that echoed all around.

A Cherubim as dark as the night with purple accents and a crescent moon shaped head.

_:Apollonius!: _the same voice called out. _:I can sense your aura. You are on board that wingless one's machine are you not?:_

Scorpius froze in his cockpit at the familiarity of the voice he could hear in his mind.

_:That is Toma. I will go to him and see if we may end this peacefully:_ Apollonius stated.

The former Shadow Angel phased through the chest of the mechanical angel and met Toma in between both of their vessels.

_:Toma: _Apollonius greeted.

_:Apollonius: _Toma replied in turn. _:Have you come back to us? Have you returned to resume your rightful place at the side of your brethren?:_

Apollonius shook his head. _:I'm sorry Toma, but I have only come here to ensure that the fighting between Shadow Angels and Humans is put to an end:_

_:Apollonius! You know we need that prana!:_

_:No, there are other ways to survive: _Apollonius argued.

_:We really have lost you then…: _Toma's gaze switched emotions precariously from hope to sorrow to anger._ :Then so be it:_

Toma turned to go back to his Cherubim. Believing that he would be unable to do anything Apollonius also turned back towards Aquarion.

"APOLLONIUS!" Celiane screamed.

Apollonius looked at Aquarion confused before he heard the ringing of steel behind him.

"NOOOOO!"

A squeal pierced the fearful silence as Apollonius turned.

Toma had his unsheathed blade in hand and it was dripping red liquid. Apollonius looked at his friend in shock.

_:Toma, how could you strike Pollon? He is innocent in all this:_

_:That blow was not meant for the pup, but for you, you traitor:_ With that statement Toma flew back to the Cherubim.

Apollonius gathered Pollon in his arms and quickly flew back to Aquarion phasing through to Celiane's cockpit.

Celiane reached out to take the Shadow Angle pup from him and hugged him close to her body despite the red blood that was covering her front.

"Oh, Pollon. That was a brave thing to do taking that blow for Apollonius. Rest in peace my friend. Know that you will always have a place in our hearts," Celiane said softly to the dying puppy.

Pollon weakly lifted his head with a soft yip and licked her cheek taking a tear, she had shed, from her face.

Pollon went limp in her arms, then a moment later burst into specks of light that raced away from all of them before dispersing into the sky.

_:Don't worry Celiane. He is out of harm's reach now:_

She nodded as tears flowed freely down her face. She looked up at Apollonius.

"Let's make sure Pollon's sacrifice was worth it and beat the stubborn Shadow Angel's back till they know they cannot mess with humanity. Not now, not ever."

Apollonius leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips.

_:I agree Celiane. Let's go:_

Apollonius phased back through the machine to his cockpit.

_:Ready? Celiane? Scorpius?:_

"Let's do it" Scorpius snarled.

Apollonius, Celiane, and Scorpius powered Aquarion up and without warning attacked, skewering and swatting the Cherubim away like they were flies only bothering them.

There was no sense of gravity, only a dance; a dance that the three completed together dodging attacks and attacking.

No matter what was thrown at them, they emerged victorious and continued onto the next dance.

Apollonius stared ahead with wonder and exhilaration at the endless power they were feeling that was emitting from Aquarion _:Celiane, this power is…:_

Celiane looked toward him endearingly and continued, "This vast power is…"

Scorpius gazed at the other two as they illuminated within the power until he was thrown away from them. Apollonius and Celianes love for each other radiated off of them and Aquarion supplying a tremendous power source.

Celiane's hand traveled down Apollonius' arm and clasped his hand in hers.

_:Celiane:_

"Apollonius."

Apollonius smiled as their spirits merged together in a union above Atlandia. The radiating power resulting in Atlandia to crumble. The main structure starting to collapse, unable to withstand the pressure being placed upon it.

Scorpius, unblinded by their love, could only watch in fear as Atlandia collapsed.

"No. At this rate, Atlandia will be destroyed! The power of the wings will be lost forever." His eyes narrowed, "If Aquarion releases any more power…"

Sword in hand, Scorpius' spirit traveled into Apollonius' cockpit. He raised the blade and brought it down with all the power he could muster.

Apollonius cried out with pain as the blade sank deeper and deeper into his flesh until the hilt stopped at his back and the blade was completely sheathed through his body _:NOOOOOOOOO:_

"My Atlandia has…" Scorpius stood rigid with his sword held in a tight grip and buried in Apollonius' torso while the blood slowly traveled down to the tip of the blade. "I was supposed to obtain power and wings there. With that power, I was going to lead the people onto the right path… You can't Apollonius. You can't destroy the whole world, too," Scorpius said darkly.

A gasp behind him made him pause. He turned to lay eyes on Celiane who had just witnessed his traitorous act…his moment of sheer hatred for Apollonius for stealing the love of his life away…for Apollonius selfishness in refusing to use his power to save his people…

"Stop it!" Celiane screamed

Apollonius was on his knees blood gushing from his wound off his body. He reached towards his last hope and salvation. _:Ce…li…ane…:_

Scorpius pulled the blade from Apollonius. The flesh being cut as the edge sliced through on the way out. Scorpius stood there with his bloody sword at his side dripping blood. His aura reeking of sullied power that he hadn't noticed before.

Scorpius brought the blade up before him attempting to comprehend what he had done.

Despair, fear, hatred, and sorrow fed his uncertainty.

With a cry of pain Scorpius flung the sword away from himself and fled the scene leaving Celiane clutching Apollonius within her embrace.

The union was completely broken leaving the collapse of Atlandia as the final result of their battle against the Shadow Angels.

Toma, bleeding heavily from a gut wound he had been inflicted with, spotted Scorpius fleeing the scene and followed determined to play his final card before he had to surrender to a deep healing sleep. Toma followed Scorpius all the way back to the city limits where Scorpius stopped his vector and emerged from the machine.

"How could I…How could I have done that to Apollonius? He threw away everything he knew for us…for Celiane."

Scorpius collapsed onto his hands and knees, the tears conquering his resolve and streaming from his eyes. Toma silently landed behind Scorpius with a feather in hand.

_ :You wanted the power of the wings, foolish wingless one, then I shall give you that power:_

Scorpius whirled to face Toma surprised that he had been followed.

Toma thrust the feather into Scorpius' chest leaving a long scar behind as he forcefully withdrew his hand. Scorpius fell backward clutching at his chest staring at Toma in fear too shocked to even register the excruciating pain.

_:Now, you shall suffer all of eternity alongside the others. You will suffer as you witness everyone you know and love die by your traitorous hands:_

Toma clutched at his wound more tightly struggling to remain conscious. He turned aside and opened a portal to Atlandia. He passed through in time to collapse on the other side leaving Scorpius on his own.

_:Toma!:_Otoha cried out. She settled alongside Toma and placed his head on her lap. _:Rest, Beloved. I shall watch over you until you awaken: _she promised.

Scorpius crawled back into the vector and struggled with the controls until he took a nosedive into a mountain. The vector crashed into the side of the mountain exploding and creating a mountain of flames as the fire burned everything it touched.

Celiane grabbed the controls of the vector pulling the machine to a stop.

"Apollonius!" She did a quick sweep of the area around her searching for Vector Sol.

In the plains below them the vector was buried halfway into the ground. She veered Vector Luna towards Apollonius vector and landed a few feet away.

She pushed the door open and pulled herself out and scrambled down off the vector.

"Apollonius!" She shouted while pulling herself up the side of his vector. She stood by the entry hatch having to wait for it to open. As soon as there was room she slid inside landing next to Apollonius at the bottom of the vector.

"Apollonius!" She fell to her knees beside him and gently pulled him into her arms. The blood pooling at the bottom of the vector around them as Apollonius gazed into Celiane's eyes for the last time.

_:Celiane…leave this place. It is my time: _he raised a hand to cup her cheek. "We will…meet again…Celiane."

Celiane held his hand against her cheek taking in his voice.

"I love you, Apollonius," she said confidently. "And I will wait for you to return regardless of the time that passes…I will always wait for you."

Apollonius looked towards her abdomen, placing his hand upon there he smiled, his eyes alighting with a sparkle of happines.

A warning beep from the vector signaled a cherubim converging upon the vector.

She pressed her lips to Apollonius' warm lips. As she pulled away, tears cascaded down her cheeks, and fled from the red vector back to her own.

She took off and pulled the vector around only allowing herself one last look back before sending the vector forward at full speed.

The Cherubim halted next to the downed vector while the Shadow Angel inside surveyed the scene taking in the destroyed earth around her and the vector below. The Shadow Angel Apollonius once known as the Solar Wing had betrayed their kin for the wingless ones.

Unlike the others she was curious as to why he had done this when the wingless ones were nothing more than sustenance for themselves and the Tree of Life.

How could one wingless one affect the revered Solar Wing to such an extent that he would rip off his own wings and fight to the death against his kin?

Many of these questions drove her now rather than giving into the unbridled fury that many of the others felt for Apollonius.

She pulled on her power willing herself to teleport to the machine below. Standing on top of the machine she slowly floated down into the vector and to Apollonius' side.

_:Solar Wing…Apollonius…I don't understand...:_

_:What…is it… you wish to…understand, child?:_

_:How…Why did you give the wingless ones your loyalty?:_

_:There is…no difference…between us and the Wingless Ones…In the end…we are one….and…the…same:_

She gazed upon the fallen Shadow Angel at her feet. She couldn't help but feel there was more she couldn't understand or fully comprehend with the small amount of knowledge she had.

_:I don't understand: _she said sadly _:Apollonius, would you permit me?:_

She saw the surprise at the request and feared that she had offended the dying warrior. Instead Apollonius smiled and closed his eyes. She felt his mind open and was gently pulled to him.

She opened her own mind and allowed all of Apollonius' knowledge, emotions, and experiences to enter giving her his life's story.

How he had once blindly followed the beliefs that all Shadow Angel's possessed and how he fell in love with a Wingless One…a Human and fell from the ranks of Shadow Angels. Everything was a progression to the present.

It all made sense.

_:I understand, Solar Wing Apollonius…and I will carry on your story, for those who will need it in the future:_

_:Child…What is…your name?:_

_:I am Rena:_


	16. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

"Regular Talking"_  
__:Telepathic:_  
_Flashback_

_"Maybe second chances don't always mean a happily ever after. Maybe sometimes they're just another shot at ending things better"_

-Anonymous

The castle was brimming to the peak with people as I entered the main courtyard. Looking around curiously I studied the brightly colored and extravagant decorations hung everywhere possible.

Those families with money to spare had gotten fancy suits and beautiful, elegant gowns for themselves and their sons and daughters, while those with little money made themselves look as presentable as they possibly could.

As far as the eye could see there were performers of all kinds surrounded by the audiences attracted to each of the displays. Music was being played in each room for dancing, theatrical effect, and keeping time for professional acrobats.

The crowds so thick it was next to impossible to move and yet I pushed forward keeping my mind to the task at hand and sparing the different entertainments no mind.

I was not here for the entertainment or the company. In the past I would have welcomed the distraction of a good party from my responsibilities, but I now have different responsibilities that must be completed, responsibilities that I was not even aware were there and needed to be done by someone.

In the past eighteen years I had grown to understand the nature of the world and the roles that the Shadow Angels and Humans each had. These tasks had been ignored or forgotten by all with the exception of Celiane and Apollonius. These two had been the only ones of their entire races to understand what their collective roles were. They were the only ones to understand the importance and necessity of peace between the two races.

They had surpassed the boundaries placed before them and taken those roles upon themselves. Their love for one another had been extremely strong and powerful.

Something I hadn't realized until too late.

I was to make amends for that tonight and begin the long process of creating a world where Shadow Angels and Humans would understand each of their roles in the future.

I pushed through the last of the crowd in the courtyard and broke through. I slipped through the large double doors to make the next venture through the crowds inside the castle's main hall.

Pushing passed the crowds inside the main hall I got to the far right side of the room.

In the wall there is a secret door meant as an escape route for the inhabitants of the castle. Very few knew of its existence and despite knowing all the locations of such doors I have never used any of these passages for emergency purposes before.

However tonight I will be using it not for an emergency or playing around in a crazy adventure, but to get where I needed to be without being seen.

I quickly pressed the panel on the wall with only the slightest audible click heard to say that it worked. I pushed opened the door from the wall and quickly slipped inside unseen by those nearby. As soon as the door closed I reached out and touched a panel to my right where a switch was placed to allow those with knowledge of its existence to utilize a light source powered by an unknown, ancient source.

The path lit in front of me and I started my journey forward. I followed the winding path until I came to a dead end where I placed my hand directly in front of me and pushed the door open to reveal a lit room beyond it.

I heard the song of a metal blade leaving its sheath in the room and found myself face to face with a young man in a ready stance to attack should the need arise.

I calmly stood in the doorway with a smile and admiring his similarities to the one I had once loved.

"There is no need to attack, Takimoto," I calmly stated.

Takimoto stared suspiciously at me, not lowering his blade or gaze.

"Who are you!? How did you find the passageways!?"

I held out my open hand with my palm up. I curled my fingers in to create a fist before opening it once more with a half filled steaming tea cup sitting on my palm.

"Those who ask the question already have the answer," I replied.

Takimoto's face betrayed his confusion, but he did not loosen his hold on his blade and still cautiously watched me for any sudden movements.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

I smiled and looked toward the window revealing the sky. "If you pursue the Ideal and look only at the sky, there are times when you lose sight of the flowers on the ground."

"What?" Takimoto continued to give me a questioning look confused as to what I meant by that statement. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you are saying, sir."

I brought the teacup to my lips and took a sip of the steaming liquid, turning my gaze back to hold Takimoto's.

Takimoto had lowered his sword without realizing it and now just stared at me confused.

My smile only widened, "Every man chooses the path they think is best at that time. But, in most cases, it will turn out to be a foolish decision. That is where the sadness of humanity lies."

Takimoto stood there speechlessly, his mouth opening and closing as he meant to say something, but found that what he was about to say didn't even make sense to himself.

"Who…Who are you?"

I gave an elegant bow still holding the teacup within my hand.

"I am only a simple magician who wishes to bestow advice upon the son of the mighty Solar Wing Apollonius and Beautiful Lady Celiane," I finally answered.

The suspicion that had been in his eyes before was once again present in the stance of his body.

"How do you know that name?!" Takimoto demanded.

"My dear Takimoto. Allow me to ask you a question that so many cannot find the answer for." I clapped my hands together drawing his gaze to them. "When you clap your hands together, what exists in-between?

Your right hand and left hand.

Angels and Humans.

Man and Woman.

Yin and Yang.

What is between them?!"

Takimoto continued to stare at me confused. He looked down at his own hands.

I silently watched him. There was so much potential there and yet, I already knew that I could do no more than I had already done.

_:Good luck, my son: _

I felt the touch of a small hand on my arm and the familiar castle walls disappeared from around me. I looked down at the young girl standing at my side.

"Great timing as always, Rena," I complimented.

Rena smiled showing her sharp canines. "Why thank you, Apo…"

I placed my finger on her lips interrupting her.

"I am no longer that person," I stated as I turned and walked away.

Rena smiled and shook her head. "No, you most certainly are not, Gen Fudou."

* * *

_Author's Note: And this marks the end of the Legend that we are all introduced to, but never given the whole story. I hope you have all enjoyed this as much as I have despite the amount of time it took me to finally finish this story. _

_Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts and feelings on my writing or how I did. I am always open to critiques as I am always striving to continue improving my writing. _


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